Question 668 of 750

Virtualization and Cloud Technologies →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Best Practices to Prevent VM Escape Attacks and Cross-Infection

This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of virtualization and cloud technologies. 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 investigating a security incident where a user's virtual machine was compromised. The technician suspects that the VM was infected with malware that spread from the host. Which virtualization security best practice would have prevented this?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.

A
Enable snapshots for all VMs.
Why wrong: Snapshots are for backup and recovery, not for preventing malware spread between host and VM.
B
Use a Type 2 hypervisor for better isolation.
Why wrong: Type 2 hypervisors actually have a larger attack surface because they run on an OS, making them more vulnerable to VM escape attacks.
C
Keep the hypervisor and host OS updated with security patches.
Regular updates patch vulnerabilities that could be exploited for VM escape, preventing malware from spreading between host and VM.
D
Assign more virtual CPUs to the VM.
Why wrong: Assigning more vCPUs does not affect security; it only impacts performance.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The answer is to keep the hypervisor and host OS updated with security patches. This practice directly prevents VM escape malware from exploiting known vulnerabilities in the virtualization layer, which is the primary vector for an attack that breaks out of a virtual machine to infect the host. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this question tests your understanding of VM isolation and the principle that a patched hypervisor closes the security gaps that cross-infection relies upon. A common trap is to focus on network segmentation or Type 1 hypervisors, but the exam emphasizes that patching is the most direct defense against the specific code-level exploits used in VM escape attacks. Remember the memory tip: “Patch the platform to prevent the prison break”—keeping the hypervisor updated seals the escape route from guest to host.

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

✓

Keep the hypervisor and host OS updated with security patches.

Option C is correct because keeping the hypervisor and host OS updated with security patches is a fundamental virtualization security best practice that prevents malware from exploiting known vulnerabilities in the hypervisor layer. In this scenario, the malware spread from the host to the VM, indicating a hypervisor-level compromise that patching would have mitigated. Regular patching closes the attack vector that allows host-to-VM infection, such as vulnerabilities in the hypervisor's management interface or device emulation code.

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.

✗
Enable snapshots for all VMs.
Why it's wrong here
Snapshots are for backup and recovery, not for preventing malware spread between host and VM.
✗
Use a Type 2 hypervisor for better isolation.
Why it's wrong here
Type 2 hypervisors actually have a larger attack surface because they run on an OS, making them more vulnerable to VM escape attacks.
✓
Keep the hypervisor and host OS updated with security patches.
Why this is correct
Regular updates patch vulnerabilities that could be exploited for VM escape, preventing malware from spreading between host and VM.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Assign more virtual CPUs to the VM.
Why it's wrong here
Assigning more vCPUs does not affect security; it only impacts performance.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

CompTIA often tests the misconception that Type 2 hypervisors provide better isolation than Type 1 hypervisors, when in fact Type 1 (bare-metal) hypervisors offer stronger security boundaries because they run directly on hardware without a host OS layer.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Under the hood, hypervisors like VMware ESXi or Microsoft Hyper-V expose attack surfaces through components such as the VMkernel, device emulation (e.g., Intel VT-x), and management APIs (e.g., VMware vSphere API). Unpatched vulnerabilities like CVE-2021-21972 (vCenter Server RCE) or CVE-2020-3992 (VMware ESXi OpenSLP heap-overflow) have been exploited in the wild to allow host-to-VM escape and lateral movement. Real-world incidents, such as the 2021 attack on VMware vCenter servers, demonstrate that timely patching is the primary defense against such hypervisor-level compromises.

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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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 220-1202 question test?

Virtualization and Cloud Technologies — This question tests Virtualization and Cloud Technologies — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Keep the hypervisor and host OS updated with security patches. — Option C is correct because keeping the hypervisor and host OS updated with security patches is a fundamental virtualization security best practice that prevents malware from exploiting known vulnerabilities in the hypervisor layer. In this scenario, the malware spread from the host to the VM, indicating a hypervisor-level compromise that patching would have mitigated. Regular patching closes the attack vector that allows host-to-VM infection, such as vulnerabilities in the hypervisor's management interface or device emulation code.

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.

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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