Quick Answer
The answer is adware. Adware is specifically designed to display intrusive pop-up ads, often generating revenue for its creators through pay-per-click schemes, and it consumes significant system resources like CPU and RAM to render these advertisements, which directly causes the sluggish system performance described. On the Certified Ethical Hacker CEH exam, this scenario tests your ability to differentiate adware from other malware types like spyware or Trojans, which may also cause slowdowns but typically focus on data theft or backdoor access rather than aggressive advertising. A common trap is confusing adware with potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) that bundle with legitimate software, but the key symptom here is the persistent pop-ups even when no browser is active, indicating a background ad-serving process. For a quick memory tip, think of the mnemonic "Ads Are Slow" — the A in Ads stands for Adware, and the S in Slow reminds you that pop-ups and sluggishness are its hallmark symptoms.
This CEH practice question tests your understanding of malware, social engineering and network attacks. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 user reports that their system has become very slow and numerous pop-up ads appear even when browsing is not active. Which type of malware is MOST likely installed?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Adware
Adware is known for displaying pop-up advertisements and degrading performance.
Ransomware
Why wrong: Ransomware encrypts files and demands payment, not pop-up ads.
Keylogger
Why wrong: Keyloggers record keystrokes without displaying pop-up ads.
Spyware
Why wrong: Spyware primarily steals information, though it may also cause slowdowns; adware is more directly associated with pop-up ads.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Adware
Adware displays unwanted advertisements and can cause system slowdowns.
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.
Adware
Why this is correct
Adware is known for displaying pop-up advertisements and degrading performance.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Ransomware
Why it's wrong here
Ransomware encrypts files and demands payment, not pop-up ads.
Keylogger
Why it's wrong here
Keyloggers record keystrokes without displaying pop-up ads.
Spyware
Why it's wrong here
Spyware primarily steals information, though it may also cause slowdowns; adware is more directly associated with pop-up ads.
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 CEH 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 CEH 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
Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks — This question tests Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Adware — Adware displays unwanted advertisements and can cause system slowdowns.
Identify which CEH 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.
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Same concept, more angles
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A user reports that their system has become sluggish and they see pop-up advertisements even when no browser is open. Additionally, unknown processes are running in Task Manager. Which type of malware is most likely responsible?
mediumWhy B: Adware displays unwanted advertisements and often comes bundled with other software, causing system slowdowns and pop-ups. Spyware may also cause ads but focuses on data theft. Ransomware encrypts files, and a worm spreads without user interaction.
Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
This CEH practice question is part of Courseiva's free EC-Council 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 CEH exam.
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