Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

What type of attack involves sending a message offering free gifts if the recipient forwards it to others?

1. Spam Email

2. Chain Letter

3. Phishing

4. Trojan

The correct answer is: Chain Letter

A chain letter attack involves sending a message that typically promises free gifts or rewards to recipients who forward the message to multiple contacts. This approach exploits social networks and creates a viral effect, as individuals are motivated by the potential benefits of sharing the message. Chain letters can spread quickly as they rely on the human tendency to share in hopes of receiving something in return. While spam emails and phishing attempts may also involve misleading information and requests for action, they usually have different underlying purposes—such as promoting products or harvesting personal information, respectively. Trojan attacks involve malware being disguised as legitimate software rather than a message sent to individuals. Thus, the defining feature of a chain letter attack is that it explicitly encourages recipients to forward the message in order to receive purported rewards, making it the correct choice in this context.