SY0-701 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations Practice Question
After installing a free PDF-to-Word utility from an unofficial website, a user's laptop starts sending data to an unknown server and the security agent is disabled. Which malware type best fits?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse 'spyware' with 'Trojan' because both can steal data, but the key distinction is that a Trojan actively performs multiple malicious actions (including disabling security) and requires user execution, whereas spyware is typically passive and does not disable defenses.
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
✓
Trojan
A Trojan is malware disguised as legitimate software, such as a free PDF-to-Word utility, that performs malicious actions without the user's knowledge. In this scenario, the Trojan exfiltrates data to an unknown server and disables the security agent, which are classic Trojan behaviors—unlike self-replicating worms or passive spyware. The user's intentional download from an unofficial website is the typical infection vector for Trojans.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Trojan
Why this is correct
A trojan is malware that disguises itself as a benign or desirable program—here, a free PDF-to-Word utility from an unofficial source—while secretly performing malicious actions upon execution. The user's deliberate installation and the subsequent security tampering (such as disabling antivirus, modifying system settings, or dropping additional payloads) fit the trojan lifecycle directly. Unlike viruses or worms, a trojan does not self-replicate or auto-propagate; it relies on the victim's voluntary action, which is exactly what the scenario describes.
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Worm
Why it's wrong here
A worm is standalone malware that self-replicates and spreads across networks automatically, typically exploiting software vulnerabilities or using shared credentials, without requiring user interaction. The scenario lacks evidence of such autonomous network propagation; the malware spreads through a deceptive installer that tricks the user into executing it. Even if the downloaded utility later led to worm-like behavior, the initial delivery vector is a trojanized application, and the core mechanism is social engineering, not self-replication.
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Spyware
Why it's wrong here
Spyware is a category of malware that covertly monitors user activity, such as keystroke logging, screenshots, or data exfiltration, and typically operates quietly after installation. While a trojan can certainly deliver spyware as its payload, the scenario emphasizes the disguised installer and security tampering—the latter of which goes beyond passive information gathering. Spyware focuses on the collection of sensitive data, whereas a trojan describes the deceptive delivery method that enables arbitrary malicious behavior, which is the central clue in this question.
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Rootkit
Why it's wrong here
A rootkit is a stealth tool focused on hiding successful compromise at the kernel or OS level—concealing processes, files, and registry keys from administrators. In this scenario, the primary infection vector is a user downloading and running a fake utility, not the post-infiltration concealment that a rootkit provides. A rootkit could be a payload delivered by a trojan, but the initial malicious delivery mechanism here is the disguised installer, making 'trojan' the accurate classification.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Malware Types and Characteristics
Key term
Spyware
Spyware is malicious software that secretly monitors and collects information about a user's activity without their knowledge or consent.
Key term
Malware
Malware is any software intentionally designed to cause damage, disrupt operations, steal data, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SY0-701 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 SY0-701 exam.