Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A security analyst is reviewing logs after a successful phishing attack. The attacker used a fake login page that mimicked the company's single sign-on portal to harvest usernames and passwords. The attacker then used the stolen credentials to access the corporate email system. Which type of attack best describes the initial compromise?
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
On-path attack
Incorrect. An on-path (formerly man-in-the-middle) attack involves the attacker intercepting and possibly altering communications between two parties. In this scenario, the attacker hosted a fake login page that the victims visited directly; there is no indication of intercepted traffic between the user and the legitimate service.
B
Best answer
Credential harvesting via phishing
Correct. The attacker used a deceptive email or website to trick users into voluntarily entering their credentials. This is the defining characteristic of phishing-based credential harvesting. The stolen credentials were then reused to access the corporate email system.
C
Distractor review
Brute-force attack
Incorrect. A brute-force attack involves systematically trying all possible password combinations until the correct one is found. The scenario describes users being tricked into revealing their passwords, not an automated guessing attempt.
D
Distractor review
Password spraying
Incorrect. Password spraying attempts a small number of commonly used passwords against a large number of accounts. The scenario involves a targeted attack that harvested credentials from multiple users via a fake login page, not a low-and-slow password guessing technique.
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: Credential harvesting via phishing — The initial compromise occurred when users entered their credentials into a fraudulent website designed to look legitimate. This is a classic example of credential harvesting via phishing. The attacker did not perform a man-in-the-middle attack by intercepting traffic (on-path), nor did they use automated tools to guess passwords (brute-force or password spraying). The key is that the user was tricked into directly providing their credentials to the attacker.
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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