mediumMultiple Choice
FC0-U71 Practice Question: Refer to the exhibit
Exhibit
Image Name CPU Memory svchost.exe 45% 150 MB notepad.exe 2% 10 MB chrome.exe 15% 200 MB
Refer to the exhibit. A technician notices high CPU usage from a process called 'svchost.exe'. What is the most appropriate action?
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
✓
Scan for malware
Svchost.exe is a legitimate Windows process that hosts services. High CPU usage could indicate a malfunctioning service or malware disguised as svchost. Scanning for malware is the safest first step. Ending the process could cause system instability; updating Windows might fix service issues but not malware; virtual memory is not relevant.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Scan for malware
Why this is correct
Scanning for malware addresses the likely root cause: svchost.exe legitimately hosts multiple Windows services, so high CPU often indicates a malicious service injected into a shared host process. This satisfies the stem's constraint of identifying the most appropriate first action, since malware masquerading as svchost is a common cause of sustained processor load.
- ✗
End the process immediately
Why it's wrong here
Ending svchost.exe immediately can crash dependent services and destabilise Windows, since svchost hosts multiple shared services. It is tempting as a quick fix for high CPU, and would be appropriate only after identifying the specific hosted service and confirming it is safe to stop.
- ✗
Increase virtual memory
Why it's wrong here
Increasing virtual memory does not reduce CPU consumed by svchost; it addresses paging pressure, not processor load. It is tempting because high CPU often accompanies memory exhaustion, and would be correct if the exhibit showed sustained hard page faults and low available memory rather than CPU saturation.
- ✗
Update Windows
Why it's wrong here
Updating Windows does not address the currently spiking svchost process; the exhibit's specific process and service must be identified first. It is tempting because patching resolves known svchost-related bugs, and would be right if the exhibit showed an outdated, unpatched system with a documented svchost defect.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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