easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1102 Practice Question: A customer says that when they click a link in an…
A customer says that when they click a link in an email, it opens a website that looks exactly like their bank's login page, but the URL starts with 'http://' instead of 'https://'. What is the most likely security concern?
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
✓
The email contains a phishing link.
The absence of HTTPS and the lookalike page strongly indicate a phishing attempt. Phishing sites often mimic legitimate sites to steal credentials, and the lack of encryption is a red flag. Users should never enter credentials on non-HTTPS pages, especially from email links.
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 website is using an expired SSL certificate.
Why it's wrong here
An expired SSL certificate would result in a browser warning indicating that the connection is not private or secure, but the URL would still display as HTTPS. The critical detail here is that the URL is explicitly HTTP, meaning no SSL/TLS encryption is being attempted or utilized at all, which is a fundamental difference from an expired certificate scenario. The browser would not simply revert to an insecure HTTP connection.
- ✗
The user's browser is infected with adware.
Why it's wrong here
Adware typically manifests through unsolicited pop-up advertisements, browser redirects to commercial sites, or changes to search engine results and browser homepages. While it can cause redirects, it's less common for adware to generate a highly convincing, lookalike login page directly from an email link without other pervasive signs of browser compromise. The primary mechanism here is a direct malicious link, not general browser infection.
- ✓
The email contains a phishing link.
Why this is correct
Phishing attacks are a form of social engineering where attackers send fraudulent communications, often emails, to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information. The combination of a deceptive email link leading to a website that visually mimics a legitimate service but uses an insecure HTTP connection is a hallmark of a phishing attempt. This method aims to steal credentials by presenting a convincing, yet fake, login portal.
- ✗
The user's DNS server has been compromised.
Why it's wrong here
DNS poisoning involves corrupting the DNS cache on a server or client, causing legitimate domain names to resolve to malicious IP addresses. If a DNS server were compromised, *any* attempt to access the legitimate site would be redirected to the fake one, regardless of the source. However, the scenario specifies clicking a *direct link* in an email, indicating the malicious URL was already embedded, bypassing the need for DNS resolution to be tampered with for this specific incident.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Windows Security Features
Key term
Phishing
Phishing is a type of cyber attack where criminals impersonate legitimate organizations or individuals to trick victims into revealing sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal data.
Key term
Encryption
Encryption is the process of converting readable data into a secret code to prevent unauthorized access.
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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.