220-1102 Practice Test 2 — 30 Questions

Question 1

A client brings in a laptop that was used by an employee who left the company. The manager wants to ensure all data is unrecoverable before recycling the laptop. The laptop has a traditional HDD. Which method should be used?

Choose an answer to begin — your selection is scored in the full session.

Accepted Answer

Run a full overwrite using disk-wiping software.. Disk-wiping software performs a full overwrite of every sector on the HDD with patterns (e.g., zeros, random data), making the original data unrecoverable even with advanced forensic tools. This method is specifically designed for secure data destruction on functional drives, ensuring compliance with data sanitization standards like NIST SP 800-88.

Answer

Perform a quick format of the drive.

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Use a degausser to demagnetize the drive.

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Physically shred the drive with a hard drive shredder.

Question 2

A user reports that they can no longer connect to the company network from home using VPN. They confirm their internet connection is working and that they can browse websites. Which of the following should a technician check first to resolve the VPN connectivity issue?

Accepted Answer

Verify the user's VPN username and password. The user's internet connection is working (they can browse websites), which rules out general network connectivity issues. The most common cause of VPN authentication failure is incorrect or expired credentials, so verifying the username and password is the quickest and most logical first step before escalating to more complex troubleshooting.

Answer

Check if the VPN client software is up to date

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Restart the VPN server at the data center

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Reinstall the network adapter drivers

Question 3

After a security incident, a forensic analyst needs to ensure that Windows 10 audit logs capture all successful and failed attempts to access the 'Confidential' folder on a file server. Which audit policy configuration is required?

Accepted Answer

Enable 'Audit object access' and configure the SACL on the folder. To audit access attempts to a specific folder, you must enable the 'Audit object access' policy in the Advanced Audit Policy Configuration (or the legacy 'Audit object access' under Local Policies). This policy alone does not audit anything; you must also configure a System Access Control List (SACL) on the 'Confidential' folder itself, specifying which access types (e.g., Read, Write) for which users or groups to audit for success and failure. Without the SACL, no object access events are generated.

Answer

Enable 'Audit account logon events' for success and failure

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Enable 'Audit privilege use' for success and failure

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Enable 'Audit process tracking' for success and failure

Question 4

A user complains that their Remote Desktop session to a Windows 10 Pro workstation frequently disconnects after a few minutes of inactivity. The workstation is on a local network. Which setting should the technician modify on the host computer to prevent this?

Accepted Answer

Increase the idle session limit in Remote Desktop settings. The Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) has a configurable idle session limit that disconnects sessions after a period of inactivity. By default, Windows 10 Pro may enforce a short idle timeout (often 1-5 minutes) to conserve resources. Increasing this limit in the Remote Desktop Session Host settings (under Local Group Policy or the Remote Desktop Services configuration) prevents the automatic disconnection the user is experiencing.

Answer

Disable the screensaver

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Change the power plan to High Performance

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Enable Network Level Authentication

Question 5

During a security incident, a user's files have been renamed with a '.encrypted' extension, and a ransom note demands Bitcoin to restore them. The user has no backups. What is the most appropriate immediate action?

Accepted Answer

Disconnect the computer from the network immediately.. Ransomware encrypts files, and paying the ransom does not guarantee decryption. The correct first step is to isolate the infected system to prevent the malware from spreading to network shares or other devices.

Answer

Pay the ransom to regain access quickly.

Answer

Run a full antivirus scan to remove the malware.

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Restart the computer in Safe Mode and attempt file recovery.

Question 6

A user reports that their MacBook Pro running macOS Ventura is unable to open any applications after a recent system update. They see a spinning beach ball when clicking app icons. Which macOS tool should you use first to diagnose and resolve this issue?

Accepted Answer

Activity Monitor. Activity Monitor is the correct first tool because it allows you to inspect running processes, CPU usage, memory pressure, and disk activity. The spinning beach ball indicates a hung or unresponsive process, likely caused by a kernel extension or system daemon failing after the update. Activity Monitor can identify the offending process (e.g., a high CPU or stuck I/O process) so you can force quit it or gather logs for further troubleshooting.

Answer

Terminal

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Disk Utility

Answer

System Information

Question 7

A user reports that a specific application crashes immediately on launch. You want to verify the integrity of the application's core files without reinstalling. Which command-line tool can you use to scan and repair system files that the application depends on?

Accepted Answer

sfc /scannow. The `sfc /scannow` (System File Checker) command scans all protected system files and replaces corrupted versions with a cached copy located in the `%WinDir%\System32\dllcache` directory. Since the application crashes on launch, it likely depends on core Windows system files (e.g., DLLs, executables) that may be corrupted or missing. Running `sfc /scannow` verifies and repairs these system files without reinstalling the application itself, directly addressing the integrity of the dependencies.

Answer

chkdsk /f

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tasklist

Answer

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

Question 8

A security incident occurs where an unauthorized PowerShell script was executed on a server, exfiltrating data. The IT manager wants to prevent any unsigned PowerShell scripts from running on all domain computers. Which scripting security measure should be implemented?

Accepted Answer

Set the execution policy to AllSigned. Setting the execution policy to AllSigned requires that all PowerShell scripts, including those written locally, be digitally signed by a trusted publisher before they can run. This directly addresses the requirement to prevent any unsigned PowerShell scripts from executing on domain computers, as it blocks both remote and local unsigned scripts.

Answer

Set the execution policy to Restricted

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Set the execution policy to RemoteSigned

Answer

Disable PowerShell using Group Policy

Question 9

A technician is configuring a new Windows 10 kiosk computer that will run a single application for public use. They need to prevent users from accessing the desktop, taskbar, or other system functions. Which Windows security feature should be used?

Accepted Answer

Assigned Access (Kiosk Mode). Assigned Access (Kiosk Mode) is the correct feature because it locks down the Windows 10 device to run only a single Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app or a classic Win32 app in full-screen mode, completely hiding the desktop, taskbar, Start menu, and other system interfaces. This is specifically designed for public-facing kiosk scenarios where users must not be able to exit the application or access any other system functions.

Answer

User Account Control (UAC) set to highest level

Answer

Local Group Policy – Software Restriction Policies

Answer

Windows Defender Application Guard

Question 10

A user calls the help desk saying they cannot access a shared folder on the network. They can access other shares on the same server. The technician verifies the user's account is active and the folder exists. What should the technician check next to resolve the access issue?

Accepted Answer

Review the NTFS permissions on the shared folder.. Since the user can access other shares on the same server, the issue is isolated to a specific shared folder. NTFS permissions control access at the folder level independently of share permissions, and a missing or incorrect NTFS entry for the user would block access even if the share permissions are open. The technician should review the NTFS permissions on that folder to ensure the user or their group has at least Read access.

Answer

Check if the user's password has expired.

Answer

Verify the user has been added to the local Administrators group.

Answer

Reboot the file server to clear any cached permissions.

Question 11

A user wants to share a folder on their Windows 11 PC so that other users on the local network can access files without a password. They have already enabled network discovery and file sharing. Which additional setting must they configure in the Advanced Sharing settings to allow password-less access?

Accepted Answer

Turn off password protected sharing. To allow password-less access to shared folders on a local network, you must disable password protected sharing. When this setting is turned off, Windows 11 does not require users to have a local account and password on the host machine; instead, it grants access based on the 'Everyone' group permissions. This is configured in the 'Advanced sharing settings' under 'All Networks'.

Answer

Turn on Public folder sharing

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Enable 128-bit encryption

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Set up a homegroup

Question 12

A technician is cleaning the inside of a desktop computer that has accumulated a large amount of dust. What is the safest method to remove the dust?

Accepted Answer

Use compressed air to blow the dust out of the case.. Compressed air is the safest method because it dislodges dust without physical contact, avoiding electrostatic discharge (ESD) or mechanical damage to sensitive components. Unlike other methods, it does not introduce moisture or static buildup, and it can reach tight spaces between heatsinks and circuit boards.

Answer

Use a standard household vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment.

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Use a damp cloth to wipe down the components.

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Use a soft brush to sweep the dust out.

Question 13

During a routine security audit, you find that an employee has taped their door lock open to avoid using their badge every time they leave for a break. What is the most immediate security concern with this practice?

Accepted Answer

Unauthorized persons can enter without credentials. Propping a door lock open bypasses the physical access control system (PACS), allowing anyone—including unauthorized individuals—to enter the secured area without presenting valid credentials (e.g., a proximity card or PIN). This directly defeats the purpose of the access control mechanism, which is to authenticate and log each entry. The most immediate risk is that an attacker or tailgater can gain unrestricted physical access to sensitive assets, systems, or data.

Answer

The employee might lose their badge

Answer

It violates company badge policy

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The door lock may break from being forced open

Question 14

A user receives an email that appears to be from their bank, asking them to click a link and verify their account information due to 'suspicious activity.' The email address looks legitimate, but the link points to a different domain. What type of attack is this?

Accepted Answer

Phishing. This is a classic phishing attack because the email uses social engineering to trick the user into clicking a link that leads to a fraudulent domain, even though the sender's address appears legitimate. Phishing is a broad category of social engineering where attackers impersonate a trusted entity to steal credentials or sensitive information, and the mismatched link is the key indicator.

Answer

Spear phishing

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Whaling

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Vishing

Question 15

A security incident occurred where an attacker modified a PowerShell script on a file server to include malicious commands. The script is executed daily by a scheduled task. Which scripting security best practice could have prevented this attack?

Accepted Answer

Use a digital signature to sign the script and enforce execution policy. Enforcing an execution policy that requires scripts to be digitally signed ensures that only scripts signed by a trusted publisher can run. If the attacker modified the script, the digital signature would become invalid, and the execution policy would block the script from running, preventing the malicious commands from executing.

Answer

Store the script in a hidden folder

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Set the script file to read-only

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Compile the script into an executable

Question 16

A system administrator needs to change the group ownership of a directory /srv/data and all its contents to 'datagroup'. Which command will accomplish this recursively?

Accepted Answer

chgrp -R datagroup /srv/data. The correct command is `chgrp -R datagroup /srv/data`. The `-R` (or `--recursive`) flag tells `chgrp` to operate on the directory and all its contents, changing the group ownership to 'datagroup'. This directly fulfills the requirement to change group ownership recursively.

Answer

chown datagroup: /srv/data

Answer

chmod -R g+rw /srv/data

Answer

groupmod -R datagroup /srv/data

Question 17

A Windows 11 workstation is infected with ransomware that encrypted user files. The IT security team wants to prevent future infections by restricting which processes can modify files in user profile folders. Which Windows security feature can enforce such restrictions without third-party software?

Accepted Answer

Controlled Folder Access. Controlled Folder Access (CFA) is a Windows Defender Exploit Guard feature that restricts which applications can modify files in protected folders, such as user profile directories. By default, CFA blocks untrusted or unknown processes from writing to or encrypting files in these folders, directly preventing ransomware from encrypting user data without requiring third-party software.

Answer

NTFS permissions set to 'Read-only' for all users.

Answer

AppLocker with a deny rule for unknown executables.

Answer

BitLocker with TPM protection

Question 18

A small business owner wants to ensure that employees cannot install unauthorized browser extensions on company-managed Windows 10 computers. Which method should you use to enforce this restriction?

Accepted Answer

Configure Group Policy to block extension installation. Group Policy allows administrators to centrally manage Windows settings, including browser policies. By configuring the 'Block installation of extensions' policy under Administrative Templates for each browser (e.g., Chrome, Edge), you can prevent users from installing unauthorized extensions on company-managed Windows 10 computers.

Answer

Enable private browsing mode in each browser

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Set the browser homepage to a company-approved site

Answer

Install an ad-blocker extension

Question 19

A company is upgrading its network switches and has 10 old switches that still work. The local school district has requested donations of working equipment. What should the technician do?

Accepted Answer

Donate the switches to the school district.. Donating the switches to the school district aligns with the principle of reuse, which is the most environmentally responsible option before recycling or disposal. The switches are still functional, so extending their lifecycle reduces e-waste and benefits the community. This practice supports the waste hierarchy: reduce, reuse, recycle.

Answer

Throw the switches in the company dumpster.

Answer

Send the switches to a recycler even though they work.

Answer

Keep the switches in storage indefinitely.

Question 20

A receptionist at a company receives a call from someone claiming to be from the IT department. The caller says they need her password to perform an urgent server update. The receptionist provides the password. What type of social engineering attack is this?

Accepted Answer

Pretexting. Pretexting is a social engineering attack where the attacker fabricates a scenario (the pretext) to manipulate the target into divulging sensitive information. In this case, the caller falsely claims to be from the IT department and invokes an urgent server update to trick the receptionist into revealing her password. This is not a technical exploit but a psychological manipulation that relies on the target's trust in authority and urgency.

Answer

Tailgating

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Phishing

Answer

Baiting