- A
Agree not to tell the manager and remove the PUP quietly.
Why wrong: This may violate company policy on reporting security incidents; the technician should follow protocol.
- B
Explain that you will remove the PUP but must document the incident per company policy, though you will not share unnecessary details.
This balances empathy with professional responsibility; documentation is often required for security incidents.
- C
Tell the user that this is a serious security breach and you have to report it immediately.
Why wrong: This may overstate the severity and cause unnecessary panic; a PUP is often low-risk but still needs documentation.
- D
Ignore the request and report the user to HR for violating IT policy.
Why wrong: This is overly harsh and does not consider that the user made an honest mistake; a more measured approach is appropriate.
Quick Answer
The correct ethical response is to explain that you will remove the PUP but must document the incident per company policy, while omitting unnecessary personal details. This answer balances the user’s privacy concern with the technician’s professional obligation to follow policy, as documenting PUP infections in a help desk ticket is standard for tracking broader security issues like drive-by downloads or social engineering. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of ethical troubleshooting and the technician’s duty to report security incidents without violating user trust. A common trap is choosing to hide the incident entirely to spare the user’s feelings, which violates policy and could mask a larger threat. Remember the memory tip: “Document the deed, not the name”—record the technical issue, but protect the user’s identity from unnecessary exposure.
220-1102 Communication and Professionalism Practice Question
This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of communication and professionalism. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 helping a user who accidentally installed a potentially unwanted program (PUP) that changed their browser homepage and search engine. The user is embarrassed and asks the technician not to tell their manager. What is the most ethical response?
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
Explain that you will remove the PUP but must document the incident per company policy, though you will not share unnecessary details.
Option B is correct because it balances the user's privacy concern with the technician's professional obligation to follow company policy. Documenting the incident (e.g., in a help desk ticket) is standard procedure for tracking PUP infections, which may indicate broader security issues like drive-by downloads or social engineering. The technician can remove the PUP using tools like Malwarebytes or AdwCleaner while omitting the user's name from unnecessary reports, preserving trust without violating policy.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Agree not to tell the manager and remove the PUP quietly.
Why it's wrong here
This may violate company policy on reporting security incidents; the technician should follow protocol.
- ✓
Explain that you will remove the PUP but must document the incident per company policy, though you will not share unnecessary details.
Why this is correct
This balances empathy with professional responsibility; documentation is often required for security incidents.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Tell the user that this is a serious security breach and you have to report it immediately.
Why it's wrong here
This may overstate the severity and cause unnecessary panic; a PUP is often low-risk but still needs documentation.
- ✗
Ignore the request and report the user to HR for violating IT policy.
Why it's wrong here
This is overly harsh and does not consider that the user made an honest mistake; a more measured approach is appropriate.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the distinction between a 'security incident' (e.g., malware with C2 traffic) and a 'policy violation' (e.g., PUP installation), tempting candidates to overreact with option C or underreact with option A.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
PUPs often modify browser registry keys (e.g., HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Start Page) or use Chrome's ExtensionInstallForcelist policy to persist. Removing them requires checking scheduled tasks, browser extensions, and startup entries (e.g., via Autoruns). In enterprise environments, Group Policy may block such changes, but if a user has local admin rights, the PUP can bypass restrictions—this is why documentation is critical for auditing privilege misuse.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Communication and Professionalism — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1202 question test?
Communication and Professionalism — This question tests Communication and Professionalism — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Explain that you will remove the PUP but must document the incident per company policy, though you will not share unnecessary details. — Option B is correct because it balances the user's privacy concern with the technician's professional obligation to follow company policy. Documenting the incident (e.g., in a help desk ticket) is standard procedure for tracking PUP infections, which may indicate broader security issues like drive-by downloads or social engineering. The technician can remove the PUP using tools like Malwarebytes or AdwCleaner while omitting the user's name from unnecessary reports, preserving trust without violating policy.
What should I do if I get this 220-1202 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 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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