Which term describes attackers using botnets to disseminate large volumes of phishing emails?

Which term describes attackers using botnets to disseminate large volumes of phishing emails?

• A. Rock phishing
• B. Pharming
• C. Reverse social engineering
• D. Business email compromise

Answer: (A)

Attacker campaigns that rely on botnets to send out huge volumes of fake emails are a form of phishing conducted at scale. Botnets enable mass distribution, making it hard for recipients to ignore or filter out the messages, which is the hallmark of a phishing campaign. The other terms describe different techniques: pharming involves directing users to fraudulent sites through DNS manipulation; reverse social engineering is when the attacker entices a target to seek help from the attacker who then gains trust; business email compromise targets specific individuals to fraudulently harvest funds or information. “Rock phishing” isn’t a standard security term, so it doesn’t fit the described method.

Attacker campaigns that rely on botnets to send out huge volumes of fake emails are a form of phishing conducted at scale. Botnets enable mass distribution, making it hard for recipients to ignore or filter out the messages, which is the hallmark of a phishing campaign. The other terms describe different techniques: pharming involves directing users to fraudulent sites through DNS manipulation; reverse social engineering is when the attacker entices a target to seek help from the attacker who then gains trust; business email compromise targets specific individuals to fraudulently harvest funds or information. “Rock phishing” isn’t a standard security term, so it doesn’t fit the described method.