- A
On-path attack
Why wrong: 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
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
Brute-force attack
Why wrong: 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
Password spraying
Why wrong: 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.
Quick Answer
The answer is credential harvesting via phishing. This is correct because the attacker used a fake login page that mimicked the company’s single sign-on portal, a classic social engineering technique designed to trick the victim into voluntarily submitting their username and password. The initial compromise was not achieved by guessing or cracking passwords—as in brute-force or password spraying attacks—but by directly collecting the credentials from the user’s submission, which is the defining characteristic of credential harvesting. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish phishing-based credential theft from other authentication attacks; a common trap is confusing it with password spraying, which involves trying one password across many accounts rather than tricking a user into giving up their credentials. A helpful memory tip: think of “harvesting” as a farmer collecting crops—the attacker sets a trap (the fake page) and the victim willingly hands over the harvest (their credentials).
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 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?
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
Credential harvesting via phishing
The initial compromise was achieved by luring the victim to a fake login page that mimicked the company's single sign-on portal, which is a classic phishing technique. The attacker harvested the credentials directly from the user's submission, making this a credential harvesting attack via phishing. This aligns with the definition of phishing as a social engineering attack that uses deception to obtain sensitive information, distinct from brute-force or password spraying which rely on guessing or trying multiple passwords.
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.
- ✗
On-path attack
Why it's wrong here
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.
- ✓
Credential harvesting via phishing
Why this is correct
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.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Brute-force attack
Why it's wrong here
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.
- ✗
Password spraying
Why it's wrong here
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 traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse credential harvesting via phishing with an on-path attack, because both involve intercepting credentials, but phishing relies on user deception to voluntarily submit credentials, whereas an on-path attack captures them transparently during an existing session.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
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.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Credential harvesting via phishing often leverages lookalike domains (e.g., using 'rnicrosoft.com' instead of 'microsoft.com') or homograph attacks with Unicode characters to bypass visual inspection. The fake login page typically sends the submitted credentials to an attacker-controlled server via HTTP POST, and the attacker can then use those credentials for lateral movement or privilege escalation, as seen in the subsequent access to the corporate email system. This attack vector exploits human trust rather than technical vulnerabilities, making it a persistent threat even with strong password policies.
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: Credential harvesting via phishing — The initial compromise was achieved by luring the victim to a fake login page that mimicked the company's single sign-on portal, which is a classic phishing technique. The attacker harvested the credentials directly from the user's submission, making this a credential harvesting attack via phishing. This aligns with the definition of phishing as a social engineering attack that uses deception to obtain sensitive information, distinct from brute-force or password spraying which rely on guessing or trying multiple passwords.
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 11, 2026
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