- A
Whaling
Correct. Whaling specifically targets senior executives or high-value individuals within an organization, often using urgent or authoritative requests to trick them into transferring money or revealing sensitive information.
- B
Spear phishing
Why wrong: Incorrect. Spear phishing is a targeted phishing attack aimed at a specific individual or group, but it does not necessarily focus on executives. The attack in the question is specifically directed at senior executives, making whaling a more accurate term.
- C
Vishing
Why wrong: Incorrect. Vishing (voice phishing) uses phone calls or voicemail to deceive victims. The described attack uses email, not voice communication.
- D
Pharming
Why wrong: Incorrect. Pharming redirects users from legitimate websites to fraudulent ones, typically by exploiting DNS vulnerabilities or installing malware. The attack in the question relies on deceptive emails, not website redirection.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is whaling, because this attack specifically targets senior executives—the "big fish"—using a fraudulent email impersonating the CEO to request urgent wire transfers. Whaling is a highly targeted form of phishing that exploits the authority and financial access of high-profile individuals, relying on urgency and trust to bypass typical security controls. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this concept tests your ability to distinguish whaling from broader spear phishing, which targets any specific group or individual, not just executives. A common trap is confusing the two, but remember: whaling is always about the C-suite or VIPs, while spear phishing can target anyone from HR to IT. To lock it in, think of the mnemonic “Whale = Wealthy, High-profile, Authority, Large-scale, Executive”—if the victim is a senior leader, it’s whaling.
SY0-701 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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 security analyst is investigating a phishing campaign that specifically targets senior executives in a company. The emails appear to come from the CEO and request urgent wire transfers to a fraudulent account. Which of the following best describes this type of attack?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Whaling
This attack is whaling because it specifically targets senior executives (the 'big fish') with a fraudulent email impersonating the CEO to request urgent wire transfers. Whaling is a form of phishing that focuses on high-profile individuals within an organization, leveraging their authority and access to sensitive financial operations. The attack exploits the trust and urgency associated with executive communications to bypass standard security controls.
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.
- ✓
Whaling
Why this is correct
Correct. Whaling specifically targets senior executives or high-value individuals within an organization, often using urgent or authoritative requests to trick them into transferring money or revealing sensitive information.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Spear phishing
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Spear phishing is a targeted phishing attack aimed at a specific individual or group, but it does not necessarily focus on executives. The attack in the question is specifically directed at senior executives, making whaling a more accurate term.
- ✗
Vishing
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Vishing (voice phishing) uses phone calls or voicemail to deceive victims. The described attack uses email, not voice communication.
- ✗
Pharming
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Pharming redirects users from legitimate websites to fraudulent ones, typically by exploiting DNS vulnerabilities or installing malware. The attack in the question relies on deceptive emails, not website redirection.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the distinction between whaling and spear phishing, where candidates mistakenly choose spear phishing because they overlook that whaling is a specific subtype targeting executives, not just any individual.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Whaling often leverages social engineering techniques like email spoofing (e.g., forging the CEO's display name and email address) and domain impersonation (e.g., using lookalike domains like 'company.co' instead of 'company.com'). Attackers may also research the target's communication patterns and use urgency to bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA) by requesting wire transfers that bypass normal approval workflows. In real-world scenarios, whaling attacks have led to significant financial losses, such as the 2016 Snapchat CEO email compromise.
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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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: Whaling — This attack is whaling because it specifically targets senior executives (the 'big fish') with a fraudulent email impersonating the CEO to request urgent wire transfers. Whaling is a form of phishing that focuses on high-profile individuals within an organization, leveraging their authority and access to sensitive financial operations. The attack exploits the trust and urgency associated with executive communications to bypass standard security controls.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 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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