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Difficulty: EasySocial Engineering and Threat Types

A technician is investigating a malware infection on a workstation in the accounting department. The employee reports finding an unlabeled USB flash drive in the company breakroom and plugging it into the computer to identify its owner, which immediately executed malicious code. Which of the following social engineering attack types best describes this scenario?

  1. BaitingAnswer
  2. B
    Shoulder surfing
  3. C
    Dumpster diving
  4. D
    Tailgating

Answer

Baiting
Baiting is a social engineering attack where an attacker leaves malware-infected media, such as a USB flash drive or external storage, in a place where potential victims will find it (like a breakroom or parking lot). The attacker relies on the victim's natural curiosity to plug the device into a computer, which runs the malicious payload.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the attack mechanism described in the scenario.
The victim found an enticing physical object (an unlabeled USB drive) in a common area and plugged it in out of curiosity.
Identifying the vector (physical media drop) and psychological trigger (curiosity) isolates the threat category.
2
Match the observed threat vector to standard security definitions.
Leaving physical media loaded with malware to exploit curiosity is defined specifically as baiting.
Baiting lures victims into compromising their own systems through physical media or software promises.

Key Concept

Baiting Social Engineering Attacks
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Social Engineering and Threat Types

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