220-1102 Practice Test 34 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A security incident is reported: an employee's company-issued Android phone is displaying persistent pop-up ads, even when no browser is open. The employee admits to side-loading a game from an unknown website. What is the most likely cause and best immediate action?

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

Accepted Answer

The side-loaded app is adware; boot into safe mode and uninstall it.. The persistent pop-up ads, even without a browser open, indicate adware behavior typical of malicious apps. Since the employee side-loaded a game from an unknown website, the most likely cause is that the side-loaded app contains adware. Booting into safe mode (which disables third-party apps) and uninstalling the suspicious app is the best immediate action because it removes the adware without data loss, unlike a factory reset.

Answer

The phone has a virus; perform a factory reset immediately.

Answer

The browser is infected; clear the browser cache and data.

Answer

The phone's firmware is compromised; reflash the stock ROM.

Question 2

During a network upgrade, a technician needs to dispose of several old CRT monitors. Which disposal method complies with environmental regulations?

Accepted Answer

Take them to an e-waste recycling center.. CRT monitors contain hazardous materials like lead, phosphorus, and other heavy metals that require specialized handling. Taking them to an e-waste recycling center ensures compliance with environmental regulations such as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and local e-waste laws, as these facilities are equipped to safely dismantle and recycle the toxic components.

Answer

Place them in the regular dumpster for pickup.

Answer

Sell them to a scrap metal dealer.

Answer

Remove the glass and dispose of the plastic casing separately.

Question 3

A technician needs to deploy a software update to 100 computers in a domain. The update requires administrative privileges. The technician wants to run the installer silently without user interaction. Which command-line syntax should be used?

Accepted Answer

msiexec /i update.msi /quiet /norestart. The `/quiet` switch suppresses all user interface and user interaction, which satisfies the requirement for silent installation. The `/norestart` switch prevents an automatic reboot after the installation, which is necessary when deploying to multiple computers without disrupting users. Together, these switches ensure the update runs with administrative privileges in a fully unattended manner.

Answer

msiexec /i update.msi /passive

Answer

msiexec /i update.msi /qb

Answer

msiexec /i update.msi /l* log.txt

Question 4

An iOS user is concerned about a lost iPhone and wants to ensure that if the device is erased, it cannot be reactivated without their Apple ID and password. Which iOS security feature provides this protection?

Accepted Answer

Activation Lock, enabled by Find My iPhone.. Activation Lock is an iOS security feature that is automatically enabled when Find My iPhone is turned on. It ties the device to the owner's Apple ID, preventing anyone from reactivating the device after it is erased or restored without entering the correct Apple ID and password. Find My iPhone locates the device, but Activation Lock provides the anti-theft protection. iCloud Keychain is for passwords, and Lost Mode locks the device but does not prevent reactivation after a wipe.

Answer

Find My iPhone location tracking.

Answer

iCloud Keychain with two-factor authentication.

Answer

Lost Mode in the Find My app.

Question 5

A company's network was breached, and forensic analysis reveals that an attacker used a pass-the-hash attack to move laterally. Which security measure would most effectively prevent this type of attack in the future?

Accepted Answer

Enable Windows Defender Credential Guard.. Windows Defender Credential Guard uses virtualization-based security (VBS) to isolate and protect NTLM password hashes and Kerberos tickets in a secure container, preventing attackers from extracting them from LSASS memory even if they have administrative access. This directly stops pass-the-hash attacks because the hashes are never accessible to the operating system or tools like Mimikatz.

Answer

Require all users to change passwords every 30 days.

Answer

Implement network segmentation and firewall rules.

Answer

Disable NTLM authentication entirely.

Question 6

A technician is deploying a new point-of-sale system in a busy retail store. The store manager insists on a specific configuration that the technician knows will cause data security vulnerabilities. Which of the following is the BEST course of action?

Accepted Answer

Explain the security risks in non-technical terms and propose a secure alternative that meets their needs.. It aligns with the CompTIA A+ objective of balancing security with business needs. The technician must communicate the security risks of the manager's requested configuration (e.g., using default credentials or disabling encryption on the POS system) in non-technical terms, then propose a secure alternative that still meets the operational requirements, such as using WPA3 with a strong passphrase instead of an open Wi-Fi network. This approach maintains professionalism, avoids data breaches, and preserves the working relationship.

Answer

Implement the configuration as requested to keep the manager happy.

Answer

Refuse to do the work and walk away.

Answer

Secretly implement a secure configuration and tell the manager it's what they asked for.

Question 7

A user reports that their Windows 10 laptop takes an unusually long time to boot and frequently shows a 'Preparing Automatic Repair' screen before finally loading the desktop. Which Windows tool should be used first to diagnose and potentially fix the boot process?

Accepted Answer

Run the System File Checker (SFC) from an elevated Command Prompt.. The 'Preparing Automatic Repair' loop and slow boot often indicate corruption in critical boot files, such as the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) or system files. Running System File Checker (SFC) from an elevated Command Prompt scans and repairs protected system files, addressing the root cause without data loss. This is the first-line diagnostic tool for boot integrity issues before escalating to more destructive methods.

Answer

Perform a full system restore from a backup made last month.

Answer

Use the Disk Cleanup tool to remove temporary files.

Answer

Reinstall Windows using the 'Reset this PC' option.

Question 8

A user is traveling and needs to access a file on their office computer. They have a dynamic IP address at the hotel. Which remote access technology should the technician recommend for a secure connection?

Accepted Answer

Set up a Virtual Private Network (VPN) client on the user's laptop to connect to the office network.. A VPN client creates an encrypted tunnel between the user's laptop and the office network, allowing secure access to files regardless of the user's dynamic IP address. VPNs authenticate the user and encrypt all traffic, protecting data over untrusted networks like hotel Wi-Fi.

Answer

Configure a direct RDP connection using the user's home IP address.

Answer

Use a remote desktop gateway that requires a static IP on the user's end.

Answer

Email the file to the user as an attachment.

Question 9

A user working from home reports that they can no longer connect to the company's internal file server using Remote Desktop. They confirm their internet connection is working. Which remote access technology should the technician verify is still active on the user's VPN client?

Accepted Answer

VPN connection. The user's internet connection is working, but they cannot reach the internal file server via Remote Desktop. This indicates the VPN tunnel, which provides encrypted access to the internal network, has likely dropped or is misconfigured. Without an active VPN connection, the user's client cannot route traffic to the private IP range of the file server, even though general internet access is available.

Answer

SSH tunnel

Answer

Remote Desktop Gateway

Answer

VNC server

Question 10

A company uses AppLocker to control which applications can run on Windows 10 workstations. A user needs to run a portable application from a USB drive for a presentation, but it is blocked by AppLocker. The user has local admin rights. What is the best way to allow this specific application while maintaining security?

Accepted Answer

Create a new AppLocker path rule for the USB drive.. AppLocker enforces application control policies regardless of user privileges, including local admin rights. Creating a new path rule for the USB drive allows the specific portable application to run while keeping AppLocker active and maintaining security for other executables. This is the correct approach because it grants a targeted exception without disabling the entire control mechanism.

Answer

Temporarily disable AppLocker service.

Answer

Add the user to the 'Power Users' group.

Answer

Run the application as Administrator.

Question 11

A technician is troubleshooting an iPhone that repeatedly prompts for the Apple ID password even after entering it correctly. The device is not connected to any corporate MDM. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

iCloud Keychain is out of sync and needs to be reset by signing out of iCloud and back in.. Repeated Apple ID password prompts, even after correct entry, are typically caused by an iCloud Keychain sync conflict. When iCloud Keychain becomes out of sync—often after a password change or device restore—the authentication token chain breaks, forcing the device to re-request the password. Signing out of iCloud and back in resets the local Keychain state and re-establishes a trusted sync relationship with Apple's servers.

Answer

The device is jailbroken and has a tweak interfering with authentication.

Answer

The Apple ID password was changed recently and not synced to all services.

Answer

The device has a hardware fault in the secure enclave.

Question 12

A user calls the help desk because their Windows 10 PC is not showing any sound icon in the system tray, and audio is not working. You suspect the audio service is disabled. Which Control Panel applet would you use to check and restart the Windows Audio service?

Accepted Answer

Administrative Tools. The Windows Audio service is a background service that must be running for audio to function. The Administrative Tools applet provides access to the Services console (services.msc), where you can check the status of the Windows Audio service and restart it if it is disabled or stopped. This is the correct tool because the Sound applet only configures playback devices and volume, not service states.

Answer

Sound

Answer

Device Manager

Answer

System

Question 13

During a software deployment, a technician needs to ensure that a new web application can run in a sandboxed environment to prevent it from accessing other system resources. Which browser feature should be configured?

Accepted Answer

Enable browser sandboxing.. Browser sandboxing is a security mechanism that isolates the web application's processes from the rest of the system, preventing it from accessing other system resources such as the file system, registry, or other processes. This is commonly implemented in modern browsers (e.g., Chrome's multi-process architecture with a sandbox layer) to contain potential exploits from a compromised web application.

Answer

Enable pop-up blocker.

Answer

Enable private browsing mode.

Answer

Disable JavaScript.

Question 14

A customer is frustrated because every time they plug in a USB flash drive, Windows automatically opens the folder and plays any media files. They want to stop this behavior. Which Control Panel tool should you use to change the default action?

Accepted Answer

AutoPlay. AutoPlay is the Windows Control Panel tool specifically designed to manage the default behavior when removable media like USB flash drives are connected. By configuring AutoPlay, you can set the system to 'Take no action' instead of automatically opening the folder and playing media files. This directly addresses the customer's frustration by stopping the automatic playback and folder opening.

Answer

File Explorer Options

Answer

Device Manager

Answer

Default Programs

Question 15

A small business wants to migrate its on-premises file server to a cloud service to reduce hardware maintenance costs. The data must be accessible from any device with an internet connection and should support real-time collaboration. Which cloud service model best meets these requirements?

Accepted Answer

Software as a Service (SaaS). SaaS (Software as a Service) is the correct choice because it provides a ready-to-use file-sharing and collaboration application (e.g., Microsoft 365 SharePoint, Google Workspace Drive) that is accessed via a web browser or client over the internet. This eliminates the need to manage underlying hardware or platform, directly meeting the requirements for device-agnostic access and real-time collaboration without any infrastructure overhead.

Answer

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Answer

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Answer

Desktop as a Service (DaaS)