Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A help desk analyst receives a ticket stating that an employee got an urgent text message from someone claiming to be the CEO. The message asked the employee to buy gift cards and send the redemption codes immediately. What attack is most likely taking place?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
Phishing, because the attacker is trying to steal information through a deceptive message sent to a user.
Phishing is broad and often email-based, but this scenario specifically uses a text message on a mobile device.
B
Best answer
Smishing, because the attacker is using SMS or text messaging to trick the employee into taking an action.
Smishing is phishing delivered through text messaging. The attacker is impersonating an executive and creating urgency to pressure the employee into buying gift cards and revealing codes. That combination of mobile delivery, impersonation, and urgency fits a text-based social engineering attack.
C
Distractor review
Vishing, because the attacker is using a phone call to pressure the employee into complying.
Vishing requires a voice call or voicemail, not a text message. The delivery channel in the scenario is SMS.
D
Distractor review
Baiting, because the attacker is tempting the user with a reward in exchange for cooperation.
Baiting usually involves a lure such as a USB drive, free download, or promised reward. Here, the key tactic is impersonation through SMS.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A laptop is suspected of being used in a malware incident. It is still powered on and connected to Wi-Fi. What should the responder do before shutting it down?
Question 2
An employee reports a ransomware note on a file server. The server is still powered on, shares are still being accessed, and management wants service restored as quickly as possible. What should the incident response team do first?
Question 3
An employee reports a ransomware note on a finance laptop. The laptop is still powered on, connected to Wi-Fi, and the user says they were just working in a spreadsheet. Management wants the fastest safe response that also preserves evidence. What should the responder do first?
Question 4
You are handed a company laptop suspected in an insider theft case. Legal says the evidence may be needed in court. Which action best preserves admissibility?
Question 5
A developer wants to reduce the risk of SQL injection in a new customer search form. Which two changes are the best mitigations? Select two.
Question 6
A branch office uses a flat LAN, and a compromise on one user workstation could spread quickly to finance systems. Management wants finance workstations isolated from general users, but finance staff still need access to a central finance application and network printer. What is the best design change?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Smishing, because the attacker is using SMS or text messaging to trick the employee into taking an action. — Smishing is the best answer because the malicious message arrives by SMS/text and is designed to manipulate the recipient into acting quickly. The attacker is also impersonating a trusted executive, which increases credibility and urgency. Security teams should teach users to verify unusual requests through a separate trusted channel, especially when the request involves payments or gift cards. Why others are wrong: Phishing is a broader term, but the delivery method here is text messaging, making smishing more precise. Vishing would require a phone call. Baiting involves a lure or reward, often with a physical or downloadable payload, which is not present in this scenario.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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