easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1202 Practice Question: A customer reports that their laptop was stolen…
A customer reports that their laptop was stolen from their desk over the weekend. The laptop contained sensitive client data. Which physical security control should have been implemented to prevent this theft?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between physical security controls that prevent theft (like cable locks) versus controls that protect data after theft (like encryption), leading candidates to confuse data protection with physical prevention.
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
✓
Cable lock
A cable lock is a physical security control that physically secures the laptop to a desk or immovable object, preventing unauthorized removal. In this scenario, the laptop was stolen from the desk, so a cable lock would have directly prevented the theft by tethering the device in place.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Biometric authentication
Why it's wrong here
Biometric authentication, such as fingerprint readers or facial recognition, serves as a logical access control mechanism. It verifies a user's identity to grant access to the operating system or specific applications, protecting data from unauthorized *use*. However, it provides no physical barrier or tether to prevent someone from simply picking up the laptop and physically removing it from its location. Therefore, it does not prevent the physical theft of the device.
- ✓
Cable lock
Why this is correct
A cable lock is a physical security device specifically designed to deter and prevent the physical theft of a laptop. It utilizes a hardened steel cable that attaches to a security slot (e.g., Kensington lock slot) on the laptop and then anchors to a stationary object like a desk or table. This creates a tangible barrier, making it significantly more difficult and time-consuming for an opportunistic thief to steal the device, directly addressing the concern of physical asset protection.
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Full disk encryption
Why it's wrong here
Full disk encryption protects data confidentiality if the device is lost, but it does not prevent the physical removal of the laptop from the desk. The correct control must physically secure the asset itself, such as a cable lock or a security slot. This option is tempting because encryption is the standard defence against data exposure after theft, and it would be the correct choice if the question asked about protecting client data from unauthorised access rather than preventing the theft event.
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Smart card reader
Why it's wrong here
A smart card reader facilitates strong logical authentication by requiring a physical smart card and often a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to gain access to the system or network resources. While highly effective for identity verification and protecting sensitive data from unauthorized *logical* access, it offers no physical protection for the laptop itself. It does not physically secure the device to a fixed object, leaving it completely vulnerable to physical theft.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1202 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 220-1202 exam.