Question 648 of 750

Social Engineering Attacks →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Pretexting: Attacker Gains Physical Access as Delivery Person

This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of social engineering 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.

During a software deployment, a user reports that a stranger in a delivery uniform asked to use their computer to 'check a shipment status' and then quickly left. Later, the user notices unusual network activity. What should the technician investigate first?

Clue words in this question

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

Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.

A
Check the user's email for phishing messages.
Why wrong: While email could be a vector, the physical access incident is more directly related to the unusual activity.
B
Verify the delivery person's identity with the shipping company.
Why wrong: Verification is good, but the immediate priority is to contain and assess potential damage from the access.
C
Scan the workstation for malware and review recent system changes.
Given physical access, the attacker may have installed malware or created backdoors; scanning and auditing changes is the correct first step.
D
Disable the user's network access permanently.
Why wrong: This is an overreaction; the user may be a victim, not the attacker, and disabling access could hinder investigation.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The correct first step is to scan the workstation for malware and review recent system changes. This is because the scenario describes a pretexting attack where the attacker used a false identity—specifically, a delivery person—to gain physical access to the computer under the guise of checking a shipment status. Pretexting relies on a fabricated story to bypass human defenses, and once the attacker had physical access, they could have installed malware, keyloggers, or unauthorized remote access tools. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this question tests your ability to recognize social engineering tactics and prioritize incident response; a common trap is to immediately blame the network or check logs first, but the attacker’s direct interaction with the workstation makes it the most likely vector. Remember the memory tip: “Pretexting plus physical touch means the machine is the first to clutch.”

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 the workstation for malware and review recent system changes.

The scenario describes a classic social engineering attack where an unauthorized individual gains physical access to a workstation under a pretext. The immediate technical priority is to scan the workstation for malware and review recent system changes because the attacker may have installed a backdoor, keylogger, or remote access trojan (RAT) that explains the unusual network activity. This aligns with incident response best practices: isolate and analyze the affected system first to contain potential data exfiltration or lateral movement.

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.

✗
Check the user's email for phishing messages.
Why it's wrong here
While email could be a vector, the physical access incident is more directly related to the unusual activity.
✗
Verify the delivery person's identity with the shipping company.
Why it's wrong here
Verification is good, but the immediate priority is to contain and assess potential damage from the access.
✓
Scan the workstation for malware and review recent system changes.
Why this is correct
Given physical access, the attacker may have installed malware or created backdoors; scanning and auditing changes is the correct first step.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Disable the user's network access permanently.
Why it's wrong here
This is an overreaction; the user may be a victim, not the attacker, and disabling access could hinder investigation.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The CompTIA A+ exam often tests the candidate's ability to prioritize immediate technical containment over administrative or non-technical follow-ups; the trap here is that many candidates choose Option B (verifying identity) because it seems logical for a physical security breach, but the exam expects you to recognize that the workstation is already compromised and must be investigated first.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Under the hood, an attacker with physical access can quickly plug in a USB Rubber Ducky or BadUSB device that emulates a keyboard to execute commands at superhuman speed, often bypassing Windows Defender or other AV if the payload is obfuscated. Reviewing system changes via tools like `regshot` or `Sysinternals Autoruns` can reveal new scheduled tasks, startup entries, or WMI persistence mechanisms that the attacker left behind. In a real-world scenario, such an attack might also involve disabling Windows Defender via PowerShell commands executed from the device, leaving no obvious file-based malware for a standard scan to detect.

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?

Social Engineering Attacks — This question tests Social Engineering Attacks — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Scan the workstation for malware and review recent system changes. — The scenario describes a classic social engineering attack where an unauthorized individual gains physical access to a workstation under a pretext. The immediate technical priority is to scan the workstation for malware and review recent system changes because the attacker may have installed a backdoor, keylogger, or remote access trojan (RAT) that explains the unusual network activity. This aligns with incident response best practices: isolate and analyze the affected system first to contain potential data exfiltration or lateral movement.

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: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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