The answer is vishing, because the attacker is using a phone call to impersonate a trusted figure and pressure the target into violating security policy. This is a classic voice phishing scenario where the social engineering vector is the telephone, not email or text, which distinguishes it from standard phishing or smishing. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this type of question tests your ability to identify the attack based on the delivery method and psychological manipulation, such as creating urgency or invoking authority. A common trap is confusing vishing with pretexting, but remember: if the interaction is over a voice channel, it is vishing. To lock it in, think of the “V” in vishing as standing for “voice” and the “ishing” as a reminder that it is a phishing variant—so when you hear a phone call demanding immediate action, your answer is vishing.
SY0-701 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
Exhibit
Help desk call transcript
Caller: "Hi, this is Morgan from the executive assistant team. The CFO is in a meeting and needs a transfer completed in the next 15 minutes. I am sending the approval right now. Please confirm the wire amount and account details over the phone so I can finish the request."
Based on the exhibit, what type of social engineering attack is the caller using?
Help desk call transcript
Caller: "Hi, this is Morgan from the executive assistant team. The CFO is in a meeting and needs a transfer completed in the next 15 minutes. I am sending the approval right now. Please confirm the wire amount and account details over the phone so I can finish the request."
A
Vishing, because the attacker is using a phone call to pressure the target.
The attacker is making a voice call and using urgency, authority, and time pressure to obtain sensitive financial information. That is a classic example of vishing, which is phishing conducted over the phone.
B
Ransomware, because the caller is asking for money.
Why wrong: The request involves fraud and deception, not malware that encrypts files or disrupts systems.
C
SQL injection, because the caller is asking for account details.
Why wrong: SQL injection is a web application attack and has nothing to do with telephone-based persuasion.
D
Tailgating, because the attacker mentions an executive assistant.
Why wrong: Tailgating involves physically following someone into a secure area, not manipulating a person over the phone.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Vishing, because the attacker is using a phone call to pressure the target.
The caller is using a phone call to impersonate a trusted figure (the CEO) and create urgency to pressure the target into violating security policy. This matches the definition of vishing (voice phishing), which relies on social engineering over voice channels to extract sensitive information or actions.
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.
✓
Vishing, because the attacker is using a phone call to pressure the target.
Why this is correct
The attacker is making a voice call and using urgency, authority, and time pressure to obtain sensitive financial information. That is a classic example of vishing, which is phishing conducted over the phone.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Ransomware, because the caller is asking for money.
Why it's wrong here
The request involves fraud and deception, not malware that encrypts files or disrupts systems.
✗
SQL injection, because the caller is asking for account details.
Why it's wrong here
SQL injection is a web application attack and has nothing to do with telephone-based persuasion.
✗
Tailgating, because the attacker mentions an executive assistant.
Why it's wrong here
Tailgating involves physically following someone into a secure area, not manipulating a person over the phone.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse the mention of 'asking for money' with ransomware, but ransomware is a technical malware attack, not a social engineering phone call, and the question explicitly describes a phone-based interaction.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Vishing often leverages caller ID spoofing to display a trusted number (e.g., the CEO's office) and uses social engineering scripts to bypass multi-factor authentication or gain credentials. In real-world scenarios, attackers may combine vishing with SMiShing (SMS phishing) to create a multi-channel attack, increasing the likelihood of success by exploiting the victim's trust in the displayed caller ID.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SY0-701 question in full detail.
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: Vishing, because the attacker is using a phone call to pressure the target. — The caller is using a phone call to impersonate a trusted figure (the CEO) and create urgency to pressure the target into violating security policy. This matches the definition of vishing (voice phishing), which relies on social engineering over voice channels to extract sensitive information or actions.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Based on the exhibit, which social engineering attack is most likely?
hard
A.Phishing
✓ B.Vishing
C.Baiting
D.Pretexting
Why B: The exhibit shows a voicemail message instructing the recipient to call a specific phone number to verify account activity. This is a classic vishing (voice phishing) attack, where the attacker uses a phone call or voicemail to trick the victim into providing sensitive information or calling a fraudulent number. Unlike phishing, which uses email or text, vishing relies on voice communication channels.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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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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