MPPSC 2023 Prelims Paper-I · Question 44 of 100

Correct — A, Phishing attack. Phishing uses deceptive emails, messages, or fake websites that impersonate a trusted source to trick users into voluntarily revealing sensitive information such as passwords, OTPs, or card details.

• (b)SQL Injection attack — SQL Injection attacks a website's database by inserting malicious SQL code through input fields to extract or manipulate data directly — it exploits a coding flaw, not a user's trust, so it does not rely on 'tricking users'.
• (c)DOS attack — A Denial-of-Service attack floods a server or website with fake traffic to make it unavailable to legitimate users — it disrupts access; it does not trick users into revealing information.
• (d)None of the above — Wrong — phishing is precisely this kind of attack, so 'none' is incorrect.

Cyber-attacks can be grouped by method: phishing is a social-engineering attack that tricks a human, SQL injection is a code-injection attack that exploits a database/application flaw, and a DoS attack is a traffic-flooding attack that denies service. MPPSC frequently tests which named attack matches which method.

The trap is picking any attack-sounding option without checking the defining verb in the question — 'tricking users into revealing information' points specifically to social engineering (phishing), not to attacks on code or servers.

• Phishing = social engineering via deceptive messages/fake websites to extract sensitive information
• SQL Injection = malicious code inserted into a database query via input fields
• DoS (Denial of Service) attack = flooding a server/site with fake traffic to make it unavailable
• Phishing targets human trust; SQL injection and DoS attacks target systems/code

• Confusing phishing (tricks a person) with SQL injection/DoS (attacks a system)
• Confusing phishing with spoofing (forged sender identity)

MPPSC gives a definition and asks you to name the matching cyber-attack, or gives the name and asks for its defining behaviour — lock method-to-name pairs.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  An attack that floods a website with fake traffic so genuine users cannot access it is called:

  • (a)Phishing
  • (b)Denial of Service (DoS) attack
  • (c)SQL Injection
  • (d)Spoofing

  Answer(b) Denial of Service (DoS) attack.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Inserting malicious code into a website's input field to manipulate its database is known as:

  • (a)Phishing
  • (b)SQL Injection attack
  • (c)DoS attack
  • (d)Spamming

  Answer(b) SQL Injection attack.