Question
Which of the following scenarios describes a possible business email compromise attack?
- A. An employee receives a gift card request in an email that has an executive’s name in the display field of the email. Correct
- B. Employees who open an email attachment receive messages demanding payment in order to access files.
- C. A service desk employee receives an email from the HR director asking for log-in credentials to a cloud administrator account.
- D. An employee receives an email with a link to a phishing site that is designed to look like the company’s email portal.
Explanation
Business email compromise impersonates a trusted leader, such as an executive, to trick an employee into sending money or making purchases, and urgent requests for gift cards or wire transfers are its typical form. Putting the executive's name in the display field is a common spoofing technique in these attacks. Demanding payment to unlock files describes ransomware. A fake email portal used to harvest credentials is credential phishing, and a request for administrator credentials is likewise aimed at stealing credentials rather than the direct financial fraud that characterizes BEC.
