Question 623 of 750

Windows Security Settings →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

220-1202 Windows Security Settings Practice Question

This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of windows security settings. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 calls the help desk complaining that they cannot change their Windows 10 password even though they know the current password. The user is a member of the 'Users' group on a domain-joined computer. What is the most likely cause?

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.

A
The user does not have 'Change Password' permission on their own account.
Why wrong: Standard users typically have the right to change their own passwords unless explicitly denied, so this is unlikely.
B
The 'User must change password at next logon' flag is set.
Why wrong: This flag would force a password change at next logon, but it does not prevent the user from changing it now; it actually requires a change.
C
The 'Password must meet complexity requirements' policy is preventing the new password from being accepted.
If the new password does not meet complexity requirements (e.g., length, character types), the system will reject the change even if the user knows the current password.
D
The local Security Accounts Manager (SAM) database is corrupted.
Why wrong: A corrupted SAM would cause broader authentication issues, not just a password change failure, and is less common than a policy restriction.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

The 'Password must meet complexity requirements' policy is preventing the new password from being accepted.

Option C is correct because the user is a member of the 'Users' group on a domain-joined computer, which means password changes are subject to the domain's password policy, not local policies. The 'Password must meet complexity requirements' policy is enforced by the domain controller via Group Policy, and if the new password fails to meet those requirements (e.g., insufficient length, lack of uppercase/lowercase/digits/special characters), the change will be rejected even though the user knows the current password. This is the most likely cause given the user can authenticate but cannot set a compliant new password.

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.

✗
The user does not have 'Change Password' permission on their own account.
Why it's wrong here
Standard users typically have the right to change their own passwords unless explicitly denied, so this is unlikely.
✗
The 'User must change password at next logon' flag is set.
Why it's wrong here
This flag would force a password change at next logon, but it does not prevent the user from changing it now; it actually requires a change.
✓
The 'Password must meet complexity requirements' policy is preventing the new password from being accepted.
Why this is correct
If the new password does not meet complexity requirements (e.g., length, character types), the system will reject the change even if the user knows the current password.
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.
✗
The local Security Accounts Manager (SAM) database is corrupted.
Why it's wrong here
A corrupted SAM would cause broader authentication issues, not just a password change failure, and is less common than a policy restriction.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

CompTIA often tests the misconception that password change failures are due to permission issues (Option A) or local account problems (Option D), when in fact domain-joined computers rely on domain policies that override local settings, making complexity requirements the primary culprit.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Domain password policies are defined in Group Policy under 'Computer Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Account Policies > Password Policy' and are enforced by the domain controller during password changes via the NetUserChangePassword API. The complexity requirements are based on the 'Password must meet complexity requirements' setting, which mandates passwords contain characters from at least three of the four categories (uppercase, lowercase, digits, non-alphanumeric), and the check occurs on the domain controller, not the local machine. In a real-world scenario, a user might be unaware of these domain-level constraints and repeatedly fail to change their password, leading to a help desk call.

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?

Windows Security Settings — This question tests Windows Security Settings — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The 'Password must meet complexity requirements' policy is preventing the new password from being accepted. — Option C is correct because the user is a member of the 'Users' group on a domain-joined computer, which means password changes are subject to the domain's password policy, not local policies. The 'Password must meet complexity requirements' policy is enforced by the domain controller via Group Policy, and if the new password fails to meet those requirements (e.g., insufficient length, lack of uppercase/lowercase/digits/special characters), the change will be rejected even though the user knows the current password. This is the most likely cause given the user can authenticate but cannot set a compliant new password.

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: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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