An employee emailed a new systems administrator a malicious web link and convinced the administrator to change the email server's password. The employee used this access to remove the mailboxes of…

Question

Options

• ARecognizing phishing
• BProviding situational awareness training
• CUsing password management
• DReviewing email policies

• A
  93% (25)
• B
  4% (1)
• D
  4% (1)

Explanation

Phishing recognition is the correct answer because the attack described - sending a malicious link via email to manipulate someone into handing over credentials - is the textbook definition of a phishing attack. Training employees to identify suspicious links, verify sender identities, and question unusual requests would directly prevent this specific social engineering technique.

• B (Situational awareness) is too broad; it covers general environmental threats and anomaly detection, not specifically email-based credential manipulation.
• C (Password management) addresses how passwords are stored and complexity requirements, but the problem here is that the admin was socially engineered into changing the password willingly - not that the password was weak or poorly managed.
• D (Reviewing email policies) might be a downstream control, but policies alone don't prevent an employee from being deceived if they can't recognize the attack in the first place.

Memory tip: If the attack starts with a suspicious email link that tricks someone into acting, think phishing - the hook is always the email lure.

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