- A
Phishing
Why wrong: Phishing is a digital attack, not directly facilitated by a physical password note.
- B
Shoulder surfing
Shoulder surfing involves visually obtaining information like passwords; a sticky note in plain view makes this trivial.
- C
Tailgating
Why wrong: Tailgating is about physical access, not observing written credentials.
- D
Baiting
Why wrong: Baiting involves luring with an offer, not simply observing a written password.
Question 159 of 750
Shoulder Surfing Attack Example: Password on Sticky Note
This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of social engineering attacks. 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 technician is troubleshooting a printer issue and finds a sticky note under the keyboard with the domain admin password written on it. The user says they kept it there 'for convenience.' Which social engineering attack does this practice most enable?
Quick Answer
Shoulder surfing is a human weakness (social engineering) attack, not a technical weakness attack — it exploits human behaviour and physical security lapses rather than software or network vulnerabilities. It occurs when an attacker observes a victim's screen, keyboard, or written notes to capture credentials or sensitive data, often in public or open-plan offices. Because no technical exploit is involved, technical controls like firewalls or antivirus offer zero protection; the defence is behavioural: privacy screens, clean-desk policies, and awareness training. On CompTIA A+ and Security+ exams, a common trap is classifying it as a technical attack because it 'captures data' — remember that the attack vector is physical observation, placing it firmly in the human/social engineering category.
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
✓
Shoulder surfing
The sticky note with the domain admin password under the keyboard directly enables shoulder surfing, where an attacker visually captures sensitive information (the password) by looking over the user's shoulder or at the exposed note. This is a physical social engineering attack that exploits the convenience of storing credentials in plain sight, bypassing any technical authentication controls.
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.
- ✗
Phishing
Why it's wrong here
Phishing is a digital attack, not directly facilitated by a physical password note.
- ✓
Shoulder surfing
Why this is correct
Shoulder surfing involves visually obtaining information like passwords; a sticky note in plain view makes this trivial.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Tailgating
Why it's wrong here
Tailgating is about physical access, not observing written credentials.
- ✗
Baiting
Why it's wrong here
Baiting involves luring with an offer, not simply observing a written password.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse shoulder surfing with baiting because both involve physical access, but baiting requires an active lure (like a malicious USB drive) whereas shoulder surfing is purely passive observation of exposed information.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Shoulder surfing in this context exploits the human tendency to store passwords insecurely, often violating organizational password policies (e.g., NIST SP 800-53 or ISO 27001). In a real-world scenario, an attacker could photograph the sticky note with a smartphone from a distance, then use the domain admin password to perform lateral movement within Active Directory, potentially compromising the entire network via Pass-the-Hash or Kerberos ticket attacks.
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: Shoulder surfing — The sticky note with the domain admin password under the keyboard directly enables shoulder surfing, where an attacker visually captures sensitive information (the password) by looking over the user's shoulder or at the exposed note. This is a physical social engineering attack that exploits the convenience of storing credentials in plain sight, bypassing any technical authentication controls.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This 220-1202 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 220-1202 exam.
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