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SSCP Practice Question: A security awareness program is being developed
A security awareness program is being developed. Which topic is MOST critical for all employees to understand to reduce the risk of social engineering?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between general security best practices (like strong passwords) and the specific, human-focused defense against social engineering, where recognition and reporting are paramount.
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
✓
How to recognize and report phishing attempts and other suspicious communications
Social engineering attacks, such as phishing, vishing, and smishing, exploit human psychology rather than technical vulnerabilities. The most critical defense for all employees is the ability to recognize indicators of these attacks (e.g., spoofed sender addresses, urgent language, mismatched URLs) and follow the proper reporting procedure to enable rapid incident response. Without this skill, even the strongest technical controls can be bypassed by a single successful click.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The risks of posting on social media
Why it's wrong here
While relevant, the focus should be on recognizing and reporting attacks.
- ✗
The proper use of mobile devices
Why it's wrong here
This is important but not the most critical for social engineering.
- ✓
How to recognize and report phishing attempts and other suspicious communications
Why this is correct
Social engineering often uses phishing or pretexting; reporting is vital.
- ✗
How to create strong passwords
Why it's wrong here
Strong passwords do not prevent phishing or pretexting.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SSCP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 SSCP exam.