CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-001) — Question 141

A senior employee received a suspicious email from another executive requesting an urgent wire transfer. Which of the following types of attacks is likely occurring?

Answer options

• A. Spear phishing
• B. Business email compromise
• C. Vishing
• D. Whaling

Correct answer: A

Explanation

The correct answer is A, Spear phishing, as it involves targeted phishing attacks aimed at specific individuals, such as executives. While Business email compromise (B) relates to fraudulent emails aimed at compromising business accounts, it is not as specific as spear phishing. Vishing (C) refers to voice phishing and is unrelated to email. Whaling (D) targets high-profile individuals but is a broader term than spear phishing.