GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies Practice Test

Phishing attacks typically target departments that handle sensitive information or financial transactions, making the legal, human resources, and accounting departments prime targets. These areas often have access to confidential data such as personal employee information, financial records, and legal documents, which are valuable to attackers. The nature of their work involves a significant amount of direct communication with other parties and can include directives that may lead to financial transactions or the sharing of sensitive information. In contrast, while other departments like IT and security teams may be targets due to their roles in managing security tools and protocols, they are often more aware of phishing tactics and are trained to recognize such threats, making them less vulnerable compared to departments focused on sensitive information management. Similarly, while marketing and sales departments do interact with external contacts and might also be targeted, they typically do not handle the same level of sensitive internal data as the legal, HR, and accounting teams. Therefore, the highest incidence of phishing attacks is often observed in those areas that have both the data value and a workforce that might be less prepared to identify these malicious attempts.