- A
Whaling
Why wrong: Whaling targets senior executives, not new employees. The target here is a new employee, making phishing a better fit.
- B
Phishing
Phishing is a broad category of attacks that use deceptive emails to trick recipients into revealing sensitive information or clicking malicious links. This scenario is a classic phishing attempt.
- C
Vishing
Why wrong: Vishing uses voice calls, not email. This attack is email-based.
- D
Shoulder surfing
Why wrong: Shoulder surfing involves observing someone's screen or keyboard. This attack is electronic, not observational.
Question 102 of 750
220-1202 Social Engineering Attacks Practice Question
This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of social engineering 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.
A new employee receives an email that appears to be from the company's HR department, asking them to click a link to verify their direct deposit information for payroll. The email contains the company logo and looks professional. What is the most likely social engineering attack?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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
✓
Phishing
Phishing is the correct answer because the attack uses a deceptive email that impersonates a legitimate entity (HR department) to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link. This is a classic example of a broad, untargeted social engineering attack delivered via email, which is the defining characteristic of phishing.
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.
- ✗
Whaling
Why it's wrong here
Whaling targets senior executives, not new employees. The target here is a new employee, making phishing a better fit.
- ✓
Phishing
Why this is correct
Phishing is a broad category of attacks that use deceptive emails to trick recipients into revealing sensitive information or clicking malicious links. This scenario is a classic phishing attempt.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Vishing
Why it's wrong here
Vishing uses voice calls, not email. This attack is email-based.
- ✗
Shoulder surfing
Why it's wrong here
Shoulder surfing involves observing someone's screen or keyboard. This attack is electronic, not observational.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap is that candidates may confuse phishing with whaling because both use email, but the key differentiator is the target: phishing is broad and untargeted, while whaling specifically targets high-level executives or individuals with privileged access. For example, an email targeting a CEO about a wire transfer is whaling, while an email targeting many employees about updating HR info is phishing.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Phishing attacks often exploit SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) weaknesses, such as spoofed 'From' headers, to make emails appear legitimate. Modern phishing kits can also clone login pages and use HTTPS certificates to bypass basic URL inspection, making the attack harder to detect without analyzing the actual domain or email authentication records like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
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
A practitioner preparing for the 220-1202 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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Social Engineering Attacks — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Social Engineering Attacks practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All 220-1202 questions
750 questions across all exam domains
- →
CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
220-1202 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related 220-1202 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Windows OS Features and Tools practice questions
Practise 220-1202 questions linked to Windows OS Features and Tools.
Windows Settings and Control Panel practice questions
Practise 220-1202 questions linked to Windows Settings and Control Panel.
Windows Command-Line Tools practice questions
Practise 220-1202 questions linked to Windows Command-Line Tools.
Windows Administrative Tools practice questions
Practise 220-1202 questions linked to Windows Administrative Tools.
macOS Features and Tools practice questions
Practise 220-1202 questions linked to macOS Features and Tools.
Linux Commands and File Permissions practice questions
Practise 220-1202 questions linked to Linux Commands and File Permissions.
Mobile OS Features and Tools practice questions
Practise 220-1202 questions linked to Mobile OS Features and Tools.
Virtualization and Cloud Technologies practice questions
Practise 220-1202 questions linked to Virtualization and Cloud Technologies.
Physical Security Controls practice questions
Practise 220-1202 questions linked to Physical Security Controls.
Logical Security Concepts practice questions
Practise 220-1202 questions linked to Logical Security Concepts.
Wireless Security Protocols practice questions
Practise 220-1202 questions linked to Wireless Security Protocols.
Malware Types and Removal practice questions
Practise 220-1202 questions linked to Malware Types and Removal.
Practice this exam
Start a free 220-1202 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1202 question test?
Social Engineering Attacks — This question tests Social Engineering Attacks — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Phishing — Phishing is the correct answer because the attack uses a deceptive email that impersonates a legitimate entity (HR department) to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link. This is a classic example of a broad, untargeted social engineering attack delivered via email, which is the defining characteristic of phishing.
What should I do if I get this 220-1202 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: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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 →
Keep practising
More 220-1202 practice questions
- During a Windows 10 deployment, you need to ensure that a specific Group Policy setting is applied to a computer before…
- After installing a new printer driver, a user's Windows 11 computer crashes with a blue screen error every time they try…
- A user reports that their Windows 10 computer is infected with a virus that keeps reinstalling itself after removal. Wha…
- A customer reports that their Windows 10 laptop is displaying pop-up ads even when no browser is open. They suspect a ma…
- A technician is configuring a new Windows 10 workstation for a user who handles sensitive financial data. The company po…
- A technician is responding to a security incident where an employee's credentials were used to access a server without a…
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This 220-1202 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 220-1202 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.