easyMultiple Choice
220-1202 Practice Question: A user calls the help desk complaining that their…
A user calls the help desk complaining that their browser homepage keeps changing to a site they did not set, and they cannot change it back. You remotely check and find no malware. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to assume any unwanted homepage change must be malware, but CompTIA tests the concept that legitimate software can alter browser settings during installation, and the absence of malware points to a non-malicious program as the cause.
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
✓
A recently installed program modified the browser settings during installation.
Many legitimate software installers include bundled programs or browser extensions that modify the default homepage, search provider, or new tab page as part of their installation routine. Even without malware, these changes are often made via registry keys (e.g., HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Start Page) or browser policy files, and the user may not have unchecked the relevant option during setup. Since no malware was found, a recently installed program is the most likely cause of the unwanted homepage change.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The user's browser profile is corrupted.
Why it's wrong here
A corrupted browser profile can reset settings, but it does not repeatedly redirect the homepage to a site the user cannot change back, which points to a modified shortcut. It is tempting because profile corruption genuinely causes erratic browser behaviour, and would be correct when settings reset randomly without a consistent redirect target.
- ✓
A recently installed program modified the browser settings during installation.
Why this is correct
Bundled software frequently rewrites the homepage and search provider during installation, and some lock those settings via policy or registry entries, preventing the user from reverting them. Absence of malware points to a legitimate installer rather than an infection.
- ✗
The user's DNS settings are being hijacked by the ISP.
Why it's wrong here
ISP DNS hijacking redirects domain resolution, not the browser's configured homepage, so it does not explain a homepage the user cannot change back. It is tempting because DNS manipulation genuinely redirects traffic, and would be correct when mistyped or blocked domains resolve to an unexpected page.
- ✗
The browser's shortcut target is pointing to a different URL.
Why it's wrong here
A modified shortcut target launches the browser with a URL argument, overriding the homepage without any malware present. It is tempting because browser hijackers also reset homepages, and this would be the cause when malware scans do detect persistent unwanted software.
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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.