The answer is whaling. This is the correct choice because whaling is a highly targeted form of phishing that specifically focuses on high-profile individuals like a CEO, CFO, or other senior executives, aiming to trick them into revealing sensitive information or authorizing fraudulent transfers. Unlike standard phishing that casts a wide net, whaling attacks often impersonate trusted entities such as legal counsel or board members, and they leverage urgent, business-critical scenarios to bypass the victim’s scrutiny. On the CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-002 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between social engineering subtypes; a common trap is confusing whaling with spear phishing, but remember that spear phishing targets any specific individual or group, while whaling is reserved exclusively for the “big fish” at the top. A simple memory tip: think of a whale as the largest fish in the sea, just as the CEO is the largest target in the corporate ocean.
PT0-002 Attacks and Exploits Practice Question
This PT0-002 practice question tests your understanding of attacks and exploits. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A penetration tester is planning a social engineering campaign against a corporation. The goal is to trick the CEO into revealing sensitive information. Which type of attack should the tester use?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Whaling
Whaling is a targeted form of phishing that specifically focuses on high-profile individuals, such as the CEO. In this scenario, the goal is to trick the CEO into revealing sensitive information, making whaling the correct choice because it is designed to impersonate trusted entities or create urgent scenarios to deceive senior executives.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Vishing
Why it's wrong here
Vishing is voice phishing, which can target anyone but is not the most precise term for targeting a CEO; whaling is more specific.
✗
Spear phishing
Why it's wrong here
Spear phishing targets specific individuals but is not specific to executives; it is used for general targeting.
✗
Pharming
Why it's wrong here
Pharming involves redirecting users to fraudulent websites via DNS manipulation, not direct social engineering.
✓
Whaling
Why this is correct
Whaling is a form of spear phishing that targets senior executives such as CEOs, making it the correct choice for this scenario.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the distinction between spear phishing and whaling, where the trap is that candidates choose spear phishing because it is a broader term, but the question's focus on a CEO specifically requires the more precise 'whaling' classification.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Whaling attacks often leverage email spoofing (e.g., forging the 'From' header using SMTP without authentication) and social engineering to mimic internal communications or legal threats. Attackers may research the CEO's role, recent company events, or personal interests to craft convincing lures, sometimes using domain squatting or lookalike domains (e.g., 'company.com' vs 'cornpany.com') to bypass spam filters. In a real-world scenario, a whaling email might request wire transfers or credential resets, exploiting the CEO's authority to bypass standard security checks.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
An employee at a financial services firm receives an email that appears to come from the IT helpdesk, asking them to reset their password via a link. The link leads to a convincing fake portal that harvests credentials. Security teams use phishing simulations and security-awareness training to reduce this attack vector. Questions like this test whether you can identify social engineering techniques and appropriate controls.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PT0-002 question in full detail.
Attacks and Exploits — This question tests Attacks and Exploits — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Whaling — Whaling is a targeted form of phishing that specifically focuses on high-profile individuals, such as the CEO. In this scenario, the goal is to trick the CEO into revealing sensitive information, making whaling the correct choice because it is designed to impersonate trusted entities or create urgent scenarios to deceive senior executives.
What should I do if I get this PT0-002 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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