Community resourceWorksheet

1CP2-P-5.3 Social engineering attacks

Part 3 of 6 · 1CP2-P-5 · Cyber security and robust software

The social engineering worksheet, covering the four required techniques and the point at which each manipulation chain can be broken.

Students will:

  • identify the dominant technique in a described attack
  • explain how a phishing attempt leads to unauthorised access
  • identify warning signs in a pretexting call
  • describe safe actions that break the manipulation chain
  • compare social engineering with exploiting a technical vulnerability

Inside: 5 explanation cells, 5 multiple-choice questions, 1 fill-in-the-blanks cell and 5 written answers. 20 marks, about 45 minutes.

Series: 1CP2-P-5 · Cyber security and robust software, part 3 of 6.

Shared by Coding PathwayVerified teacher

  • 16 cells
  • About 45 minutes
  • CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Shared 17 Aug 2026

Preview

The whole resource, exactly as a class sees it. Answers and marking are held back.

Social engineering attacks

Social engineering manipulates people into revealing information, granting access or carrying out an unsafe action. Pearson's current guidance names phishing, pretexting, baiting and quid pro quo. The attacker exploits trust, urgency, fear, curiosity or expected reward rather than first exploiting code.

1. Four required techniques

Four social engineering methodsSocial engineering manipulates people rather than softwarephishingdeceptive message or fake sitepressures a victim to reveal or clickpretextinginvented identity or believable storybuilds trust to obtain informationbaitingtempting item, file or rewardvictim acts to obtain the baitquid pro quopromised service or benefitexchange for information or actionClassify from the mechanism in the scenario, then explain the risk created.

The categories can overlap in real incidents, but examination scenarios usually provide a dominant mechanism. Identify the decisive clue: deceptive message, invented story, tempting bait, or promised exchange.

Fill in the blanks4 marks
A deceptive message is commonly gap 1. An invented identity or story is gap 2. A tempting item is gap 3. A promised exchange is gap 4.
  • baiting
  • phishing
  • pretexting
  • quid pro quo
Multiple choice1 mark

A message pretending to be the school portal directs staff to a fake sign-in page. Which technique dominates?

  • ABaiting
  • BPhishing
  • CPretexting only
  • DQuid pro quo
Written answer2 marks

Explain how the phishing attempt could lead to unauthorised access.

Connect the fake page to credentials and later use.

Students type their answer here.

Multiple choice1 mark

A caller claims to be a new technician and invents an urgent account-repair story to obtain a reset code. Which technique dominates?

  • APretexting
  • BBaiting
  • CWorm
  • DQuid pro quo
Written answer2 marks

Identify two warning signs in the caller scenario.

Use the unexpected identity, urgency and requested secret.

Students type their answer here.

Multiple choice1 mark

A labelled USB drive is left where a student may plug it in out of curiosity. Which technique dominates?

  • APhishing
  • BPretexting
  • CBaiting
  • DRansomware
Multiple choice1 mark

A caller offers free technical support in return for the user's password. Which technique dominates?

  • AQuid pro quo
  • BWorm
  • CBaiting
  • DVirus

2. Break the manipulation chain

A safe response is to pause, refuse the requested secret or action, and verify through an independently obtained trusted channel. Do not use the phone number or link supplied by the suspicious contact. Report the attempt according to the organisation's procedure.

Written answer2 marks

A student receives an urgent message asking them to sign in through a supplied link. Describe two safe actions.

Focus on stopping, independent verification or reporting.

Students type their answer here.

Written answer2 marks

Compare social engineering with exploitation of an unpatched vulnerability.

State what is manipulated or exploited in each route.

Students type their answer here.

3. Build an examination explanation

A useful structure is: identify the technique → quote or paraphrase the scenario clue → explain the unsafe action → state the resulting risk. This prevents vague responses such as 'it is a scam because it looks suspicious'.

Written answer3 marks

An attacker offers a free software upgrade if an employee first disables protection and shares a login code. Identify the main technique and explain the attack chain.

Use the promised exchange and resulting access risk.

Students type their answer here.

Multiple choice1 mark

Which response best resists pretexting?

  • ATrust anyone who knows the school name.
  • BProvide only part of the password.
  • CVerify the claimed identity through an independently known contact route.
  • DReply to the same message asking if it is genuine.

Route forward

You can distinguish the four required social-engineering methods and explain their attack chains. Next you will select layered controls that protect confidentiality, behaviour and recovery.