Which form of attack uses Instant Messaging to spread spam and collect credentials, with the user clicking a malicious attachment?

Which form of attack uses Instant Messaging to spread spam and collect credentials, with the user clicking a malicious attachment?

• A. Instant Chat Messenger
• B. Spimming
• C. Hoax Letters
• D. Pop-Up Windows

Answer: (B)

Spimming combines instant messaging with social engineering to spread spam and harvest credentials. Attackers send messages through IM services, often pretending to be a familiar contact, and urge the recipient to open a malicious attachment or follow a link. The personal, real-time nature of chat makes people more likely to trust and act on these messages, which is why credentials or malware can be collected when the attachment is clicked. The other options don’t describe this IM-specific credential-stealing tactic: an Instant Chat Messenger is just the platform, Hoax Letters are generic misinformation messages often seen in email, and Pop-Up Windows are browser-based tricks not tied to IM conversations.

Spimming combines instant messaging with social engineering to spread spam and harvest credentials. Attackers send messages through IM services, often pretending to be a familiar contact, and urge the recipient to open a malicious attachment or follow a link. The personal, real-time nature of chat makes people more likely to trust and act on these messages, which is why credentials or malware can be collected when the attachment is clicked. The other options don’t describe this IM-specific credential-stealing tactic: an Instant Chat Messenger is just the platform, Hoax Letters are generic misinformation messages often seen in email, and Pop-Up Windows are browser-based tricks not tied to IM conversations.