- A
Pretexting, because the caller builds a believable story to manipulate the employee
Pretexting is the best fit because the attacker invents a convincing scenario, uses insider details, and pressures the technician to bypass normal verification. The goal is not just to trick someone into clicking a link, but to create a false identity and narrative that makes the request seem legitimate. This is a common tactic in help desk fraud and account takeover attempts.
- B
Baiting, because the caller is offering something valuable in exchange for action
Why wrong: Baiting usually involves an enticing object or promise, such as a free download, gift, or infected USB drive, rather than a fabricated identity over the phone.
- C
Vishing, because the attack happens by voice call
Why wrong: Vishing does describe phishing over a phone call, but the question asks for the primary technique. The defining tactic here is the fabricated story and identity.
- D
Smishing, because the attacker is using a mobile device
Why wrong: Smishing is phishing by text message. This scenario uses a voice call, not SMS or messaging.
SY0-701 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations. 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 help desk technician receives a phone call from someone who claims to be the CFO. The caller knows the executive team structure, says they are traveling, and insists the technician reset MFA to 'avoid delaying a wire transfer.' Which social engineering technique is the caller primarily using?
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
Pretexting, because the caller builds a believable story to manipulate the employee
The caller is using pretexting because they have fabricated a scenario (the CFO traveling and needing an urgent wire transfer) and assumed a false identity to manipulate the help desk technician into resetting MFA. Pretexting relies on a crafted story or pretext to gain trust and bypass security controls, which is exactly what the caller is doing here.
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.
- ✓
Pretexting, because the caller builds a believable story to manipulate the employee
Why this is correct
Pretexting is the best fit because the attacker invents a convincing scenario, uses insider details, and pressures the technician to bypass normal verification. The goal is not just to trick someone into clicking a link, but to create a false identity and narrative that makes the request seem legitimate. This is a common tactic in help desk fraud and account takeover attempts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Baiting, because the caller is offering something valuable in exchange for action
Why it's wrong here
Baiting usually involves an enticing object or promise, such as a free download, gift, or infected USB drive, rather than a fabricated identity over the phone.
- ✗
Vishing, because the attack happens by voice call
Why it's wrong here
Vishing does describe phishing over a phone call, but the question asks for the primary technique. The defining tactic here is the fabricated story and identity.
- ✗
Smishing, because the attacker is using a mobile device
Why it's wrong here
Smishing is phishing by text message. This scenario uses a voice call, not SMS or messaging.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the delivery method (voice call = vishing) with the underlying social engineering technique (pretexting), but the question specifically asks for the primary technique being used, not the channel.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Smishing is phishing by text message. This scenario uses a voice call, not SMS or messaging.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Pretexting often involves the attacker researching the target organization's hierarchy and internal processes to make the story more convincing. In this case, the caller's knowledge of the executive team structure and the urgency of a wire transfer are classic pretexting elements designed to bypass MFA reset procedures. Real-world attacks like the 2019 Twitter hack used pretexting to trick employees into resetting credentials, demonstrating how effective a well-crafted pretext can be against even technical controls.
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: Pretexting, because the caller builds a believable story to manipulate the employee — The caller is using pretexting because they have fabricated a scenario (the CFO traveling and needing an urgent wire transfer) and assumed a false identity to manipulate the help desk technician into resetting MFA. Pretexting relies on a crafted story or pretext to gain trust and bypass security controls, which is exactly what the caller is doing here.
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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