312-50V13 · Question #389
An attacker can employ many methods to perform social engineering against unsuspecting employees, including scareware. What is the best example of a scareware attack?
The correct answer is D. A pop-up appears to a user stating, "Your computer may have been infected with spyware. Click. The best example of a scareware attack is a pop-up warning of a potential computer infection, aiming to frighten users into purchasing fake software or clicking malicious links.
Question
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 banner appears to a user stating, "Your Amazon order has been delayed. Click here to find out
- DA pop-up appears to a user stating, "Your computer may have been infected with spyware. Click
How the community answered
(32 responses)- A6% (2)
- B3% (1)
- C3% (1)
- D88% (28)
Why each option
The best example of a scareware attack is a pop-up warning of a potential computer infection, aiming to frighten users into purchasing fake software or clicking malicious links.
This is a typical example of a giveaway or prize scam, which is a different type of social engineering, often used in phishing.
This message attempts to induce urgency and fear of account loss, but it's more aligned with credential phishing than scareware.
This message preys on user concern for deliveries but is typically a phishing attempt to gather login credentials or distribute malware, not primarily to scare users about system health.
Scareware aims to scare users into believing their computer is infected or has a serious problem, then prompts them to download or purchase fake security software or click malicious links to 'fix' the issue. A pop-up claiming a spyware infection directly aligns with this tactic.
Concept tested: Social engineering (Scareware)
Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/security-101/what-is-scareware
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