Social Engineering Techniques and Risks

Front

Emma is trying to gain unauthorized access to a company's network. Which two steps in her hacking process are most likely to involve the use of social engineering? (Scanning / Probing, Escalating Privileges, Exploiting, Recon / footprinting, Gaining Access)

Back

Recon / footprinting, Gaining Access

Answer explanation

Social engineering is often used in 'Recon / footprinting' to gather information about targets and in 'Gaining Access' to manipulate individuals into providing access or sensitive information.

Front

Elijah received a phone call from someone claiming to be from his bank, asking for his account details to verify a transaction. What is the goal of this social engineering attempt?

Back

To get an authorized user to give information to an unauthorized person

Answer explanation

The goal of social engineering is to manipulate an authorized user into divulging confidential information to an unauthorized person, making the correct answer "To get an authorized user to give information to an unauthorized person."

Front

Scarlett received an email from someone pretending to be her bank, asking for her account details. What is the main method used in this type of social engineering?

Back

Deception

Answer explanation

The main method used in social engineering is deception. Attackers manipulate individuals into divulging confidential information by exploiting trust, rather than using technical methods like brute force or complex algorithms.

Front

David received an email from someone claiming to be his bank, asking for his account details. Which is NOT a reason that Social Engineering tactics like this are so successful?

Back

Humans are good at problem solving

Answer explanation

Humans being good at problem solving is not a reason for social engineering's success. In fact, effective problem solving can help individuals recognize and resist manipulation, unlike the other options that exploit human tendencies.

Front

At a busy office building, which Social Engineering technique is best protected against by having a security guard or turnstile at the entrance? Options: Shoulder Surfing, Dumpster Diving, Baiting, Piggybacking

Back

Piggybacking

Answer explanation

Piggybacking involves unauthorized individuals gaining access by following someone with legitimate access. A security guard or turnstile can effectively prevent this by controlling entry, unlike the other techniques listed.

Front

During a cybersecurity class, Harper learned about a technique that was responsible for 67% of cyber attacks last year. What is this major threat in the digital world?

Back

Phishing

Answer explanation

Phishing is the most significant threat in the digital world, accounting for 67% of cyber attacks last year. It involves tricking individuals into revealing sensitive information, making it a prevalent tactic among cybercriminals.

Front

Olivia received an email that seemed suspicious. Which of the following is NOT an indication that the email might be a phishing email?
- URL doesn't match the text
- Misspellings
- Sender and email address don't match
- Email was sent in the middle of the night

Back

Email was sent in the middle of the night

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'Email was sent in the middle of the night' because the time an email is sent does not inherently indicate phishing. In contrast, mismatched URLs, misspellings, and inconsistent sender details are common phishing signs.

Front

What type of phishing attack is characterized by a personalized email that appears to be from a trusted source, asking for sensitive information?

Back

Spear-phishing

Answer explanation

Spear-phishing is a targeted phishing attack aimed at a specific individual or organization, often using personalized information to deceive the victim. In contrast, vishing and smishing involve voice and SMS attacks, respectively.

Front

Olivia is conducting research for her school project using publicly available information. Which of the following sources would NOT be considered OSINT? Twitter, YouTube, Google Maps, Google Classroom

Back

Google Classroom

Answer explanation

Google Classroom is a platform for educational purposes, requiring user authentication and not publicly accessible like Twitter, YouTube, or Google Maps, which provide open-source intelligence (OSINT).

Front

David is working on improving his company's cybersecurity measures. Which of the following is NOT part of the steps in mitigating human risk when pertaining to cybersecurity? Developing Policies, User Training, Developing Procedures, Faster Computers

Back

Faster Computers

Answer explanation

Faster Computers do not directly address human risk in cybersecurity. Mitigating human risk involves developing policies, user training, and procedures to enhance awareness and compliance.