- A
A man-in-the-middle attack.
Why wrong: Man-in-the-middle attacks intercept traffic between two parties, but this scenario involves a deceptive email and fake website.
- B
A phishing attack.
Phishing uses social engineering to trick users into revealing sensitive information on fraudulent sites.
- C
A ransomware attack.
Why wrong: Ransomware encrypts files for ransom; this scenario is about credential theft, not encryption.
- D
A cross-site scripting (XSS) attack.
Why wrong: XSS injects malicious scripts into websites; this scenario is a social engineering attempt via email.
Question 250 of 750
How to Identify a Phishing Attack
This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of browser and application security. 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 user receives an email with a link that appears to be from their bank, asking them to verify their account. The link leads to a page that looks exactly like the bank's login page. What type of attack is this?
Quick Answer
The answer is a phishing attack. This is correct because the attacker has crafted a deceptive email and a fraudulent website that mimics a legitimate bank’s login page, specifically designed to trick the user into surrendering their credentials. In technical terms, this exploits social engineering and a lack of URL verification, as the fake page captures any information entered. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, identifying phishing attacks is a key objective under security threats, often presented in scenario-based questions where you must distinguish phishing from similar attacks like spear phishing or vishing. A common trap is assuming any realistic-looking login page is safe, but the exam tests your ability to recognize that the email link itself is the red flag. To remember this, think of the mnemonic “URL or Lose It”—always inspect the Uniform Resource Locator before typing credentials, and never trust an email asking you to verify an account.
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
✓
A phishing attack.
This scenario describes a phishing attack, where the attacker sends a deceptive email impersonating a trusted entity (the bank) to trick the user into clicking a malicious link. The link leads to a fraudulent website that mimics the legitimate bank login page, designed to capture the user's credentials. Phishing exploits social engineering rather than technical vulnerabilities, relying on the user's trust and inattention to detail.
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.
- ✗
A man-in-the-middle attack.
Why it's wrong here
Man-in-the-middle attacks intercept traffic between two parties, but this scenario involves a deceptive email and fake website.
- ✓
A phishing attack.
Why this is correct
Phishing uses social engineering to trick users into revealing sensitive information on fraudulent sites.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A ransomware attack.
Why it's wrong here
Ransomware encrypts files for ransom; this scenario is about credential theft, not encryption.
- ✗
A cross-site scripting (XSS) attack.
Why it's wrong here
XSS injects malicious scripts into websites; this scenario is a social engineering attempt via email.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the distinction between phishing and man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting a scenario where the user is tricked into voluntarily providing credentials on a fake site, which is phishing, not an active interception of network traffic.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Man-in-the-middle attacks intercept traffic between two parties, but this scenario involves a deceptive email and fake website.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Phishing attacks often use URL obfuscation techniques, such as homograph attacks (e.g., using Cyrillic characters that look like Latin letters) or subdomain tricks (e.g., 'bank.secure-login.com' instead of 'bank.com'), to make the fake link appear legitimate. Modern phishing kits can replicate the entire login page, including SSL/TLS certificates via free providers like Let's Encrypt, making the fake site appear 'secure' with a padlock icon. The attack relies on the user failing to verify the actual domain in the address bar or the email headers (e.g., the 'From' address may be spoofed using SMTP without SPF/DKIM validation).
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.
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Browser and Application Security — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1202 question test?
Browser and Application Security — This question tests Browser and Application Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A phishing attack. — This scenario describes a phishing attack, where the attacker sends a deceptive email impersonating a trusted entity (the bank) to trick the user into clicking a malicious link. The link leads to a fraudulent website that mimics the legitimate bank login page, designed to capture the user's credentials. Phishing exploits social engineering rather than technical vulnerabilities, relying on the user's trust and inattention to detail.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
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