Quick Answer
The answer is phishing. This is correct because the Social Engineering Toolkit (SET) is specifically designed to automate credential harvesting attacks by cloning legitimate websites and serving them to victims via malicious links; when the target enters their credentials on the cloned page, those credentials are captured and sent to the attacker. On the Certified Ethical Hacker CEH exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish phishing from other social engineering attacks like spear phishing or vishing—the key differentiator here is the use of a cloned website to trick the user into voluntarily submitting login details. A common trap is confusing this with a man-in-the-middle attack, but SET’s phishing module does not intercept live traffic; it simply presents a fake login page. Remember the mnemonic “SET Sends a Phony Clone” to recall that SET’s primary phishing function relies on website cloning for credential theft.
This CEH practice question tests your understanding of malware, social engineering and network attacks. 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 attacker uses the Social Engineering Toolkit (SET) to clone a legitimate website and send a malicious link to employees. When an employee clicks the link, they are prompted to enter their credentials. Which attack is this?
SMiShing
Why wrong: SMiShing uses SMS messages, not emails.
Spear phishing
Why wrong: Spear phishing targets specific individuals, but the scenario does not specify targeting; general phishing is more appropriate.
Vishing
Why wrong: Vishing uses voice calls, not emails.
Phishing
Phishing uses fake websites and emails to trick victims into revealing credentials.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Phishing
Phishing involves sending fraudulent communications that appear to come from a reputable source, often via email, to steal credentials. SET is commonly used for phishing campaigns.
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.
SMiShing
Why it's wrong here
SMiShing uses SMS messages, not emails.
Spear phishing
Why it's wrong here
Spear phishing targets specific individuals, but the scenario does not specify targeting; general phishing is more appropriate.
Vishing
Why it's wrong here
Vishing uses voice calls, not emails.
Phishing
Why this is correct
Phishing uses fake websites and emails to trick victims into revealing credentials.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Spear phishing targets specific individuals, but the scenario does not specify targeting; general phishing is more appropriate.
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: Phishing — Phishing involves sending fraudulent communications that appear to come from a reputable source, often via email, to steal credentials. SET is commonly used for phishing campaigns.
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. An attacker uses the Social Engineering Toolkit (SET) to send a malicious email to employees of a company, claiming to be from IT support and urging them to click a link to reset their password. Which social engineering attack is being performed?
mediumWhy B: Phishing is the broad category of sending fraudulent emails to trick recipients. Using SET for email campaigns is a common phishing technique.
Variation 2. Which tool is specifically designed to automate social engineering attacks, such as phishing and credential harvesting?
easyWhy D: The Social Engineering Toolkit (SET) is a well-known framework for automating social engineering attacks.
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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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