- A
Smishing
Smishing is phishing delivered by text message. The message uses urgency, a link, and a request for a one-time code, which are common smishing traits.
- B
Vishing
Vishing is voice-based social engineering. The follow-up phone call impersonating IT and requesting the code is a classic vishing attempt.
- C
Baiting
Why wrong: Baiting usually relies on a tempting item or offer, such as free media or a found USB drive, rather than direct credential requests.
- D
Whaling
Why wrong: Whaling targets high-ranking executives specifically. This scenario targets a regular employee, so it does not best match whaling.
- E
Tailgating
Why wrong: Tailgating is a physical access tactic where someone follows another person into a secured area. No physical entry is described here.
Quick Answer
The correct answers are smishing and vishing. This combined attack uses two distinct delivery methods: the initial SMS text message is the hallmark of smishing (SMS phishing), which tricks the employee into tapping a link and entering a one-time code; the follow-up phone call is vishing (voice phishing), where the attacker poses as IT support to pressure the victim into reading back that same code, thereby bypassing multi-factor authentication. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your ability to differentiate social engineering delivery methods by their communication channel—text versus voice—rather than just the attacker’s goal. A common trap is to focus only on the phone call and miss the SMS component, or to confuse smishing with spear phishing. To remember the pairing, think “text then talk”: the smish sets the hook, the vish reels it in.
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.
An employee receives a text message from "IT Help" saying their account will be disabled unless they tap a link and enter a one-time code. Five minutes later, someone calls claiming to be from IT and asks the employee to read back the same code. Which two social engineering delivery methods are used? Select two.
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
Smishing
Smishing is correct because the initial contact is via SMS text message, which is the defining characteristic of smishing (SMS phishing). The attacker uses a text message to deliver a phishing lure, prompting the employee to tap a link and enter a one-time code.
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.
- ✓
Smishing
Why this is correct
Smishing is phishing delivered by text message. The message uses urgency, a link, and a request for a one-time code, which are common smishing traits.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Vishing
Why this is correct
Vishing is voice-based social engineering. The follow-up phone call impersonating IT and requesting the code is a classic vishing attempt.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Baiting
Why it's wrong here
Baiting usually relies on a tempting item or offer, such as free media or a found USB drive, rather than direct credential requests.
- ✗
Whaling
Why it's wrong here
Whaling targets high-ranking executives specifically. This scenario targets a regular employee, so it does not best match whaling.
- ✗
Tailgating
Why it's wrong here
Tailgating is a physical access tactic where someone follows another person into a secured area. No physical entry is described here.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse smishing with vishing or phishing, but the question explicitly asks for two delivery methods, and the combination of SMS (smishing) and voice call (vishing) is the key distinction.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Whaling targets high-ranking executives specifically. This scenario targets a regular employee, so it does not best match whaling.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Smishing exploits the trust in SMS delivery, often using URL shorteners or typosquatted domains to evade spam filters. The one-time code is a common second factor used in multi-factor authentication (MFA) fatigue attacks, where the attacker combines smishing and vishing to bypass MFA by tricking the victim into sharing the code. In real-world scenarios, attackers may use caller ID spoofing to make the vishing call appear to come from the organization's legitimate IT support number.
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: Smishing — Smishing is correct because the initial contact is via SMS text message, which is the defining characteristic of smishing (SMS phishing). The attacker uses a text message to deliver a phishing lure, prompting the employee to tap a link and enter a one-time code.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on SY0-701
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. Several employees receive a text message that says their payroll deposit failed and they must tap a link to verify account details. The link opens a fake login page. What type of attack is this?
easy- A.Phishing
- ✓ B.Smishing
- C.Pretexting
- D.Baiting
Why B: Smishing is a form of phishing that uses SMS (Short Message Service) text messages as the attack vector. In this scenario, the attacker sends a fraudulent text message claiming a payroll deposit failure and includes a link to a fake login page, which is the classic mechanism of smishing. The attack relies on social engineering via SMS to trick the recipient into revealing sensitive credentials.
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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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