Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A user reports that their Windows 10 workstation suddenly cannot access any network resources. A technician remotely views the system and notices a popup that mimics a Windows Security alert, stating the system is infected. The technician checks the IP configuration and sees the workstation has an APIPA address (169.254.x.x). The network adapter shows no physical link issues. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the issue?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
A rogue DHCP server is issuing invalid IP addresses on the network.
A rogue DHCP server would likely assign an address in a different range, not necessarily APIPA. Also, it would not cause a fake Windows Security popup.
B
Distractor review
An ARP poisoning attack is redirecting network traffic, causing the system to lose its lease.
ARP poisoning can intercept traffic but does not typically cause the DHCP client to fail and assign an APIPA address. It also wouldn't produce a scareware popup.
C
Best answer
Malware is disabling the DHCP client service to block internet access as part of a scareware campaign.
Scareware often disables network services to create a sense of urgency. APIPA results when the DHCP client fails, and the fake security popup is a classic tactic of scareware.
D
Distractor review
A DNS hijack is preventing the workstation from resolving network names, so it falls back to APIPA.
DNS hijacking affects name resolution, not IP assignment. APIPA occurs when no DHCP server responds, unrelated to DNS.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Related practice questions
Related 220-1101 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
CompTIA A+ hardware practice questions
Practise 220-1101 questions linked to CompTIA A+ hardware.
CompTIA A+ mobile devices practice questions
Practise 220-1101 questions linked to CompTIA A+ mobile devices.
CompTIA A+ networking practice questions
Practise 220-1101 questions linked to CompTIA A+ networking.
CompTIA A+ operating systems practice questions
Practise 220-1101 questions linked to CompTIA A+ operating systems.
CompTIA A+ security practice questions
Practise 220-1101 questions linked to CompTIA A+ security.
CompTIA A+ software troubleshooting questions
Practise 220-1101 questions linked to CompTIA A+ software troubleshooting questions.
CompTIA A+ operational procedures questions
Practise 220-1101 questions linked to CompTIA A+ operational procedures questions.
More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A user reports intermittent network connectivity on a desktop computer. The technician observes that the Ethernet link light on the NIC turns off for a few seconds and then turns back on. The cable passes a wiremap test, the switch port is verified good with another device, and the NIC driver is updated. The issue occurs more frequently when the computer's case fan runs at high speed. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
Question 2
A workstation is unable to connect to the internet. The technician runs the 'ipconfig' command and sees the IPv4 address is 169.254.15.200 with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0. The workstation can ping other devices on the local subnet but cannot ping the default gateway or any external addresses. Which TWO actions should the technician take to resolve this issue? (Select two.)
Question 3
A workstation is connected to a managed switch. It obtains a valid IP address (192.168.10.50) from the DHCP server, but it cannot ping the default gateway (192.168.10.1). The link light on both the workstation NIC and the switch port are solid green. Other workstations on the same switch CAN ping the default gateway successfully. The technician accesses the switch management interface and finds that the workstation's port is configured as an access port on VLAN 10. The default gateway is located on VLAN 20. An inter-VLAN router is configured but not explicitly allowing VLAN 10 access to VLAN 20. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the problem?
Question 4
A company develops a web application that relies on a custom library available only for a specific Linux distribution. They want to deploy the application in the cloud with minimal administrative overhead, but they need full control over the software stack, including the ability to install the custom library and configure the web server. Which cloud service model BEST meets these requirements?
Question 5
A company has a legacy virtual machine running on a deprecated hypervisor (Hyper-V). They want to migrate this VM to a new hypervisor (VMware vSphere) hosted in a private cloud while preserving the VM's configuration, installed applications, and data. The migration must be performed with minimal downtime. Which of the following methods is MOST appropriate?
Question 6
A company hosts a critical database on a virtual machine in a public cloud. The database requires persistent storage that must be retained even if the VM is terminated. The storage must also be accessible from multiple VMs simultaneously for a future high-availability configuration. Which type of cloud storage BEST meets these requirements?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1101 question test?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Malware is disabling the DHCP client service to block internet access as part of a scareware campaign. — The combination of a fake security popup (scareware) and a loss of IP address suggests malware is intentionally disrupting network connectivity to pressure the user into paying for a fake solution. The APIPA address indicates the DHCP client was unable to obtain a lease, which can be caused by malware disabling the DHCP client service or corrupting network settings. Rogue DHCP servers, ARP poisoning, or DNS hijacking would not typically produce an APIPA address or a fraudulent security popup.
What should I do if I get this 220-1101 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
Discussion
Loading comments…
Sign in to join the discussion.