Quick Answer
The answer is pretexting. This social engineering technique involves the attacker fabricating a believable scenario—in this case, posing as IT support—to manipulate the target into divulging sensitive information like a password. Unlike phishing, which often relies on urgency or fear via email, pretexting builds a false identity and context over a phone call to lower the victim’s defenses. On the Certified Ethical Hacker CEH exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish pretexting from other social engineering methods such as baiting or tailgating; a common trap is confusing it with phishing because both seek credentials, but the key differentiator is the live, role-based deception over voice. To remember, think of the word “pretext” as a “pre-written script” the attacker follows to act out a role, so if a caller invents a fake reason to ask for your password, it’s always pretexting.
This CEH practice question tests your understanding of malware, social engineering and network attacks. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 user receives a phone call from someone claiming to be from IT support, asking for their password to troubleshoot an issue. Which social engineering technique is being used?
Phishing
Why wrong: Phishing is typically conducted via email, not phone calls.
Pretexting
Correct. The attacker uses a false pretext (IT support) to obtain sensitive information.
Baiting
Why wrong: Baiting involves offering something enticing (e.g., a USB drive) to lure the victim.
Vishing
Why wrong: Vishing is voice phishing, but the key element here is the false identity, which is pretexting.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Pretexting
Pretexting involves creating a fabricated scenario (pretext) to obtain information. Here the attacker pretends to be IT support to trick the user into revealing their password.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Phishing
Why it's wrong here
Phishing is typically conducted via email, not phone calls.
Pretexting
Why this is correct
Correct. The attacker uses a false pretext (IT support) to obtain sensitive information.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Baiting
Why it's wrong here
Baiting involves offering something enticing (e.g., a USB drive) to lure the victim.
Vishing
Why it's wrong here
Vishing is voice phishing, but the key element here is the false identity, which is pretexting.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the CEH exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Identify which CEH exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks — This question tests Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Pretexting — Pretexting involves creating a fabricated scenario (pretext) to obtain information. Here the attacker pretends to be IT support to trick the user into revealing their password.
Identify which CEH exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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
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. A user receives a phone call from someone claiming to be from IT support, asking for their password to perform a system update. This is an example of which social engineering technique?
mediumWhy B: Pretexting involves creating a fabricated scenario to obtain information. The caller pretends to be IT support.
Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
This CEH practice question is part of Courseiva's free EC-Council 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 CEH exam.
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