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312-50V12 · Question #292

312-50V12 Question #292: Real Exam Question with Answer & Explanation

The correct answer is C: A pop-up appears to a user stating, "Your computer may have been infected with spyware. Click. Scareware is a social engineering technique that uses fear-inducing messages to trick users into taking a harmful action, typically by falsely warning them of a security threat on their system.

Submitted by chiamaka_o· Mar 4, 2026System Hacking Phases and Attack Techniques

Question

An attacker can employ many methods to perform social engineering against unsuspecting employees, including scareware. What is the best example of a scareware attack?

Options

  • AA pop-up appears to a user stating, "You have won a free cruise! Click here to claim your prize!"
  • BA banner appears to a user stating, "Your account has been locked. Click here to reset your
  • CA pop-up appears to a user stating, "Your computer may have been infected with spyware. Click
  • DA banner appears to a user stating, "Your Amazon order has been delayed. Click here to find out

Explanation

Scareware is a social engineering technique that uses fear-inducing messages to trick users into taking a harmful action, typically by falsely warning them of a security threat on their system.

Common mistakes.

  • A. This describes a prize or reward lure, which is a form of phishing or baiting that uses greed and excitement rather than fear as the psychological trigger.
  • B. This is an example of a credential harvesting or account-takeover phishing attack that mimics a legitimate account lockout notice, not a scareware attack based on security threat intimidation.
  • D. This is a phishing lure that impersonates a trusted brand (Amazon) using a delivery pretext to induce clicks, relying on curiosity or concern about a purchase rather than fear of a security threat.

Concept tested. Identifying scareware as a social engineering method

Reference. https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/recognizing-and-avoiding-email-scams

Topics

#scareware#social engineering#malware#phishing

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