- A
Deploying a stronger email spam filter that blocks all emails from unrecognized domains
Why wrong: Email filters may catch known malicious domains, but lookalike domains (e.g., 'cornpany.com') are often new or trusted by the filter, so this control is not consistently effective against CEO fraud.
- B
Requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all corporate email accounts
Why wrong: MFA protects against credential theft, but in this attack the CFO's account is not compromised; the attacker is impersonating the CEO via a spoofed email. MFA does not verify the authenticity of the sender's email address.
- C
Implementing a policy that all financial transfers over a certain threshold must be verbally verified via a known phone number before execution
An out-of-band verification procedure, such as calling the requester on a known phone number, directly addresses the impersonation risk by confirming the request through an independent communication channel.
- D
Enabling Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption for all outgoing email communications
Why wrong: TLS encryption protects the confidentiality of email content in transit, but it does not authenticate the sender's identity or prevent spoofing, so it would not stop this attack.
Quick Answer
The answer is implementing a policy that all financial transfers over a certain threshold must be verbally verified via a known phone number. This is correct because the attack is a business email compromise (BEC) using a lookalike domain, where the attacker spoofs the CEO’s email address to trick the CFO into authorizing a fraudulent wire transfer. A verbal verification requirement adds a human out-of-band check that bypasses the compromised email channel entirely, directly countering the social engineering element that technical controls like spam filters or DMARC alone cannot fully stop. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of business email compromise prevention as a layered defense strategy, often appearing in questions about social engineering and policy-based controls. A common trap is choosing a technical solution like email authentication, but the key insight is that BEC exploits human trust, not technical flaws. Memory tip: “Hear it to clear it” — always verify high-value transfers by voice through a known number.
SY0-701 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 CFO at a mid-sized company receives an urgent email that appears to come from the CEO's email address, requesting an immediate wire transfer of $50,000 to a new vendor for a time-sensitive project. The email address displayed is 'ceo@cornpany.com' instead of the legitimate 'ceo@company.com'. The CFO follows the instruction and initiates the transfer. Later, the real CEO denies sending such a request. Which of the following security controls would have been MOST effective in preventing this type of attack from succeeding?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Implementing a policy that all financial transfers over a certain threshold must be verbally verified via a known phone number before execution
Option C is correct because the attack is a business email compromise (BEC) using a lookalike domain. A policy requiring verbal verification via a known phone number adds a human out-of-band check that bypasses the email channel entirely, preventing the fraudulent transfer even if the email appears legitimate. This control directly addresses the social engineering aspect of the attack, which technical controls alone cannot fully mitigate.
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.
- ✗
Deploying a stronger email spam filter that blocks all emails from unrecognized domains
Why it's wrong here
Email filters may catch known malicious domains, but lookalike domains (e.g., 'cornpany.com') are often new or trusted by the filter, so this control is not consistently effective against CEO fraud.
- ✗
Requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all corporate email accounts
Why it's wrong here
MFA protects against credential theft, but in this attack the CFO's account is not compromised; the attacker is impersonating the CEO via a spoofed email. MFA does not verify the authenticity of the sender's email address.
- ✓
Implementing a policy that all financial transfers over a certain threshold must be verbally verified via a known phone number before execution
Why this is correct
An out-of-band verification procedure, such as calling the requester on a known phone number, directly addresses the impersonation risk by confirming the request through an independent communication channel.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enabling Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption for all outgoing email communications
Why it's wrong here
TLS encryption protects the confidentiality of email content in transit, but it does not authenticate the sender's identity or prevent spoofing, so it would not stop this attack.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose a technical control like MFA or spam filters, overlooking that the attack exploits human trust and domain spoofing rather than account compromise, so the most effective control is a procedural one that bypasses the email channel entirely.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
BEC attacks often exploit the lack of email authentication protocols like DMARC, DKIM, and SPF, but even with these, lookalike domains can pass if the attacker configures them properly. The out-of-band verification (e.g., phone call to a known number) is a compensating control that breaks the attack chain by requiring a second communication channel independent of email. In real-world scenarios, organizations often combine this with a 'two-person rule' for financial transactions to further reduce risk.
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.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — This question tests Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Implementing a policy that all financial transfers over a certain threshold must be verbally verified via a known phone number before execution — Option C is correct because the attack is a business email compromise (BEC) using a lookalike domain. A policy requiring verbal verification via a known phone number adds a human out-of-band check that bypasses the email channel entirely, preventing the fraudulent transfer even if the email appears legitimate. This control directly addresses the social engineering aspect of the attack, which technical controls alone cannot fully mitigate.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 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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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This SY0-701 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SY0-701 exam.
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