Quick Answer
Shoulder surfing is a human weakness (social engineering) attack, not a technical weakness attack — it exploits human behaviour and physical security lapses rather than software or network vulnerabilities. It occurs when an attacker observes a victim's screen, keyboard, or written notes to capture credentials or sensitive data, often in public or open-plan offices. Because no technical exploit is involved, technical controls like firewalls or antivirus offer zero protection; the defence is behavioural: privacy screens, clean-desk policies, and awareness training. On CompTIA A+ and Security+ exams, a common trap is classifying it as a technical attack because it 'captures data' — remember that the attack vector is physical observation, placing it firmly in the human/social engineering category.
This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of social engineering attacks. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A technician is troubleshooting a printer issue and finds a sticky note under the keyboard with the domain admin password written on it. The user says they kept it there 'for convenience.' Which social engineering attack does this practice most enable?
Phishing
Why wrong: Phishing is a digital attack, not directly facilitated by a physical password note.
Shoulder surfing
Shoulder surfing involves visually obtaining information like passwords; a sticky note in plain view makes this trivial.
Tailgating
Why wrong: Tailgating is about physical access, not observing written credentials.
Baiting
Why wrong: Baiting involves luring with an offer, not simply observing a written password.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Shoulder surfing
Writing down passwords in plain sight is a security risk that directly enables shoulder surfing or dumpster diving. An attacker who sees the note can easily gain unauthorized access.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Phishing
Why it's wrong here
Phishing is a digital attack, not directly facilitated by a physical password note.
Shoulder surfing
Why this is correct
Shoulder surfing involves visually obtaining information like passwords; a sticky note in plain view makes this trivial.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Tailgating
Why it's wrong here
Tailgating is about physical access, not observing written credentials.
Baiting
Why it's wrong here
Baiting involves luring with an offer, not simply observing a written password.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the 220-1202 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Identify which 220-1202 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Social Engineering Attacks — This question tests Social Engineering Attacks — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Shoulder surfing — Writing down passwords in plain sight is a security risk that directly enables shoulder surfing or dumpster diving. An attacker who sees the note can easily gain unauthorized access.
Identify which 220-1202 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 19, 2026
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.
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