312-85 Cyber Threats And Attack Frameworks Practice Question
You are mapping an adversary behavior to the MITRE ATT&CK framework. The attacker uses PowerShell to execute a Base64 encoded payload that downloads a secondary script. Under which Tactic should this specific execution behavior be primarily classified?
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
✓
Execution
While PowerShell can be used for execution, the act of running the script to download the payload is categorized under Execution. The Tactic is the 'why' of the action, and Execution covers running malicious code.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Execution
Why this is correct
Execution covers techniques that result in the execution of adversary-controlled code on a local or remote system.
- ✗
Discovery
Why it's wrong here
Discovery involves techniques to gain knowledge about the system, not running code.
- ✗
Persistence
Why it's wrong here
Persistence focuses on maintaining access, not the initial execution of the payload.
- ✗
Command and Control
Why it's wrong here
This describes the communication channel, not the execution of the initial script.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed August 2026 · checked against the official EC-Council exam blueprint
This 312-85 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 312-85 exam.