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220-1201 Practice Question: A user wants to access their company's webmail…
A user wants to access their company's webmail using a secure connection from a public Wi-Fi hotspot. The webmail server is configured to use IMAP over SSL. Which port should the email client use?
⚠ Common exam trap
The CompTIA A+ exam often tests the distinction between default ports for encrypted vs. unencrypted protocols, and the trap here is that candidates confuse port 993 (IMAP over SSL) with port 995 (POP3 over SSL) or assume port 143 can be used with SSL without realizing it requires STARTTLS rather than implicit TLS.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
993
IMAP over SSL (IMAPS) uses TCP port 993 to establish an encrypted connection. Since the user is on a public Wi-Fi hotspot and the server is configured for IMAP over SSL, the email client must connect to port 993 to ensure all traffic is encrypted via TLS/SSL. Port 143 is the default for unencrypted IMAP, which would expose credentials and email data on an insecure network.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
143
Why it's wrong here
Port 143 is the standard, unencrypted port for the Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP). While IMAP allows users to access and manage email directly on the server, using port 143 transmits credentials and email content in plain text. This makes it highly vulnerable to eavesdropping and interception, especially when connecting over untrusted networks like public Wi-Fi, and is therefore not the secure choice for webmail access.
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110
Why it's wrong here
Port 110 is the default, unencrypted port for the Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3). POP3 primarily downloads emails from the server to the local client, often deleting them from the server afterward, which is a different operational model than webmail typically uses. Like IMAP on port 143, POP3 on port 110 transmits data without encryption, posing significant security risks for sensitive company communications.
- ✓
993
Why this is correct
Port 993 is the designated secure port for the Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) over SSL/TLS, often referred to as IMAPS. This port encrypts all communication between the email client (or webmail interface) and the mail server, protecting login credentials and message content from interception. For accessing company webmail securely, especially over potentially insecure networks, IMAPS on port 993 is the appropriate and recommended choice.
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995
Why it's wrong here
Port 995 is the secure port for Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3) over SSL/TLS, known as POP3S. While it provides encryption for email retrieval, the POP3 protocol itself is generally less suitable for webmail access compared to IMAP, as POP3 typically downloads and removes messages from the server. Therefore, even though it's secure, port 995 is not the correct choice for a user wanting to access their company's webmail, which usually relies on IMAP for server-side synchronization.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1201 exam.