220-1102: CompTIA A+ Certification Exam: Core 2

Question #: 1
Topic #: 1
SIMULATION –
Ann, a CEO, has purchased a new consumer-class tablet for personal use, but she is unable to connect to the wireless network. Other users have reported that their personal devices are connecting without issues. She has asked you to assist with getting the device online without adjusting her home WiFi configuration.

INSTRUCTIONS –
Review the network diagrams and device configurations to determine the cause of the problem and resolve any discovered issues.
If at any time you would like to bring back the initial state of the simulation, please click the Reset All button.

Question #: 2
Topic #: 1
A help desk team lead contacts a systems administrator because the technicians are unable to log in to a Linux server that is used to access tools. When the administrator tries to use remote desktop to log in to the server, the administrator sees the GUI is crashing. Which of the following methods can the administrator use to troubleshoot the server effectively?

A. SFTP
B. SSH
C. VNC
D. MSRA

Selected Answer: B

Question #: 3
Topic #: 1
A company wants to remove information from past users’ hard drives in order to reuse the hard drives. Which of the following is the MOST secure method?

A. Reinstalling Windows
B. Performing a quick format
C. Using disk-wiping software
D. Deleting all files from command-line interface:

Selected Answer: C

Question #: 4
Topic #: 1
A user is having phone issues after installing a new application that claims to optimize performance. The user downloaded the application directly from the vendor’s website and is now experiencing high network utilization and is receiving repeated security warnings. Which of the following should the technician perform FIRST to mitigate the issue?

A. Reset the phone to factory settings.
B. Uninstall the fraudulent application.
C. Increase the data plan limits.
D. Disable the mobile hotspot.

Selected Answer: B

Question #: 5
Topic #: 1
A change advisory board just approved a change request. Which of the following is the MOST likely next step in the change process?

A. End user acceptance
B. Perform risk analysis
C. Communicate to stakeholders
D. Sandbox testing

Selected Answer: A

Question #: 6
Topic #: 1
A user calls the help desk to report that none of the files on a PC will open. The user also indicates a program on the desktop is requesting payment in exchange for file access. A technician verifies the user’s PC is infected with ransomware. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST?

A. Scan and remove the malware.
B. Schedule automated malware scans.
C. Quarantine the system.
D. Disable System Restore.

Selected Answer: C

Question #: 7
Topic #: 1
A company is issuing smartphone to employees and needs to ensure data is secure if the devices are lost or stolen. Which of the following provides the BEST solution?

A. Anti-malware
B. Remote wipe
C. Locator applications
D. Screen lock

Selected Answer: B

Question #: 8
Topic #: 1
A user reports seeing random, seemingly non-malicious advertisement notifications in the Windows 10 Action Center. The notifications indicate the advertisements are coming from a web browser. Which of the following is the BEST solution for a technician to implement?

A. Disable the browser from sending notifications to the Action Center.
B. Run a full antivirus scan on the computer.
C. Disable all Action Center notifications.
D. Move specific site notifications from Allowed to Block.

Selected Answer: B

Question #: 9
Topic #: 1
After clicking on a link in an email, a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) received the following error:

The CFO then reported the incident to a technician. The link is purportedly to the organization’s bank. Which of the following should the technician perform FIRST?

A. Update the browser’s CRLs.
B. File a trouble ticket with the bank.
C. Contact the ISP to report the CFO’s concern.
D. Instruct the CFO to exit the browser.

Selected Answer: D

Question #: 10
Topic #: 1
A help desk technician is troubleshooting a workstation in a SOHO environment that is running above normal system baselines. The technician discovers an unknown executable with a random string name running on the system. The technician terminates the process, and the system returns to normal operation. The technician thinks the issue was an infected file, but the antivirus is not detecting a threat. The technician is concerned other machines may be infected with this unknown virus. Which of the following is the MOST effective way to check other machines on the network for this unknown threat?

A. Run a startup script that removes files by name.
B. Provide a sample to the antivirus vendor.
C. Manually check each machine.
D. Monitor outbound network traffic.

Selected Answer: C

Question #: 11
Topic #: 1
A laptop user is visually impaired and requires a different cursor color. Which of the following OS utilities is used to change the color of the cursor?

A. Keyboard
B. Touch pad
C. Ease of Access Center
D. Display settings

Selected Answer: C

Question #: 12
Topic #: 1
A manager reports that staff members often forget the passwords to their mobile devices and applications. Which of the following should the systems administrator do to reduce the number of help desk tickets submitted?

A. Enable multifactor authentication.
B. Increase the failed log-in threshold.
C. Remove complex password requirements.
D. Implement a single sign-on with biometrics.

Selected Answer: D

Question #: 13
Topic #: 1
A technician suspects a rootkit has been installed and needs to be removed. Which of the following would BEST resolve the issue?

A. Application updates
B. Anti-malware software
C. OS reinstallation
D. File restore

Selected Answer: C

Question #: 14
Topic #: 1
A technician is setting up a SOHO wireless router. The router is about ten years old. The customer would like the most secure wireless network possible. Which of the following should the technician configure?

A. WPA2 with TKIP
B. WPA2 with AES
C. WPA3 with AES-256
D. WPA3 with AES-128

Selected Answer: B

Question #: 15
Topic #: 1
A technician is troubleshooting an issue involving programs on a Windows 10 machine that are loading on startup but causing excessive boot times. Which of the following should the technician do to selectively prevent programs from loading?

A. Right-click the Windows button, then select Run… entering shell:startup and clicking OK, and then move items one by one to the Recycle Bin.
B. Remark out entries listed HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SOFTWARE>Microsoft>Windows>CurrentVersion>Run.
C. Manually disable all startup tasks currently listed as enabled and reboot, checking for issue resolution at startup.
D. Open the Startup tab and methodically disable items currently listed as enabled and reboot, checking for issue resolution at each startup.

Selected Answer: D

Question #: 16
Topic #: 1
A call center technician receives a call from a user asking how to update Windows. Which of the following describes what the technician should do?

A. Have the user consider using an iPad if the user is unable to complete updates.
B. Have the user text the user’s password to the technician.
C. Ask the user to click in the Search field, type Check for Updates, and then press the Enter key.
D. Advise the user to wait for an upcoming, automatic patch.

Selected Answer: C

Question #: 17
Topic #: 1
When a user calls in to report an issue, a technician submits a ticket on the user’s behalf. Which of the following practices should the technician use to make sure the ticket is associated with the correct user?

A. Have the user provide a callback phone number to be added to the ticket.
B. Assign the ticket to the department’s power user.
C. Register the ticket with a unique user identifier.
D. Provide the user with a unique ticket number that can be referenced on subsequent calls.

Selected Answer: C

Question #: 18
Topic #: 1
Which of the following is the MOST important environmental concern inside a data center?

A. Battery disposal
B. Electrostatic discharge mats
C. Toner disposal
D. Humidity levels

Selected Answer: D

Question #: 19
Topic #: 1
A user is unable to log in to the network. The network uses 802.1X with EAP-TLS to authenticate on the wired network. The user has been on an extended leave and has not logged in to the computer in several months. Which of the following is causing the log-in issue?

A. Expired certificate
B. OS update failure
C. Service not started
D. Application crash
E. Profile rebuild needed

Selected Answer: A

Question #: 20
Topic #: 1
A technician needs to format a USB drive to transfer 20GB of data from a Linux computer to a Windows computer. Which of the following filesystems will the technician MOST likely use?

A. FAT32
B. ext4
C. NTFS
D. exFAT

Selected Answer: D

Question #: 21
Topic #: 1
Following the latest Windows update, PDF files are opening in Microsoft Edge instead of Adobe Reader. Which of the following utilities should be used to ensure all PDF files open in Adobe Reader?

A. Network and Sharing Center
B. Programs and Features
C. Default Apps
D. Add or Remove Programs

Selected Answer: C

Question #: 22
Topic #: 1
A technician needs to exclude an application folder from being cataloged by a Windows 10 search. Which of the following utilities should be used?

A. Privacy
B. Indexing Options
C. System
D. Device Manager

Selected Answer: A

Question #: 23
Topic #: 1
As part of a CYOD policy, a systems administrator needs to configure each user’s Windows device to require a password when resuming from a period of sleep or inactivity. Which of the following paths will lead the administrator to the correct settings?

A. Use Settings to access Screensaver settings.
B. Use Settings to access Screen Timeout settings.
C. Use Settings to access General.
D. Use Settings to access Display.

Selected Answer: A

Question #: 24
Topic #: 1
A technician is working with a company to determine the best way to transfer sensitive personal information between offices when conducting business. The company currently uses USB drives and is resistant to change. The company’s compliance officer states that all media at rest must be encrypted. Which of the following would be the BEST way to secure the current workflow?

A. Deploy a secondary hard drive with encryption on the appropriate workstation.
B. Configure a hardened SFTP portal for file transfers between file servers.
C. Require files to be individually password protected with unique passwords.
D. Enable BitLocker To Go with a password that meets corporate requirements.

Selected Answer: D

Question #: 25
Topic #: 1
The command cat comptia.txt was issued on a Linux terminal. Which of the following results should be expected?

A. The contents of the text comptia.txt will be replaced with a new blank document.
B. The contents of the text comptia.txt would be displayed.
C. The contents of the text comptia.txt would be categorized in alphabetical order.
D. The contents of the text comptia.txt would be copied to another comptia.txt file.

Selected Answer: B

Question #: 26
Topic #: 1
An incident handler needs to preserve evidence for possible litigation. Which of the following will the incident handler MOST likely do to preserve the evidence?

A. Encrypt the files.
B. Clone any impacted hard drives.
C. Contact the cyber insurance company.
D. Inform law enforcement.

Selected Answer: B

Question #: 27
Topic #: 1
A technician needs to recommend the best backup method that will mitigate ransomware attacks. Only a few files are regularly modified; however, storage space is a concern. Which of the following backup methods would BEST address these concerns?

A. Full
B. Differential
C. Off-site
D. Grandfather-father-son

Selected Answer: B

Question #: 28
Topic #: 1
A technician is troubleshooting a customer’s PC and receives a phone call. The technician does not take the call and sets the phone to silent. Which of the following BEST describes the technician’s actions?

A. Avoid distractions
B. Deal appropriately with customer’s confidential material
C. Adhere to user privacy policy
D. Set and meet timelines

Selected Answer: A

Question #: 29
Topic #: 1
A technician needs to transfer a large number of files over an unreliable connection. The technician should be able to resume the process if the connection is interrupted. Which of the following tools can be used?

A. sfc
B. chkdsk
C. git clone
D. robocopy

Selected Answer: D

Question #: 30
Topic #: 1
A company installed a new backup and recovery system. Which of the following types of backups should be completed FIRST?

A. Full
B. Non-parity
C. Differential
D. Incremental

Selected Answer: A

Question #: 31
Topic #: 1
A user’s smartphone data usage is well above average. The user suspects an installed application is transmitting data in the background. The user would like to be alerted when an application attempts to communicate with the internet. Which of the following BEST addresses the user’s concern?

A. Operating system updates
B. Remote wipe
C. Antivirus
D. Firewall

Selected Answer: D

Question #: 32
Topic #: 1
A technician has been tasked with installing a workstation that will be used for point-of-sale transactions. The point-of-sale system will process credit cards and loyalty cards. Which of the following encryption technologies should be used to secure the workstation in case of theft?

A. Data-in-transit encryption
B. File encryption
C. USB drive encryption
D. Disk encryption

Selected Answer: D

Question #: 33
Topic #: 1
A user contacted the help desk to report pop-ups on a company workstation, indicating the computer has been infected with 137 viruses and payment is needed to remove them. The user thought the company-provided antivirus software would prevent this issue. The help desk ticket states that the user only receives these messages when first opening the web browser. Which of the following steps would MOST likely resolve the issue? (Choose two.)

A. Scan the computer with the company-provided antivirus software.
B. Install a new hard drive and clone the user’s drive to it.
C. Deploy an ad-blocking extension to the browser.
D. Uninstall the company-provided antivirus software.
E. Click the link in the messages to pay for virus removal.
F. Perform a reset on the user’s web browser.

Selected Answer: CF

Question #: 34
Topic #: 1
A technician is installing new software on a macOS computer. Which of the following file types will the technician MOST likely use?

A. .deb
B. .vbs
C. .exe
D. .app

Selected Answer: D

Question #: 35
Topic #: 1
A technician is investigating an employee’s smartphone that has the following symptoms:
✑ The device is hot, even when it is not in use.
✑ Applications crash, especially when others are launched.
✑ Certain applications, such as GPS, are in portrait mode when they should be in landscape mode.
Which of the following can the technician do to MOST likely resolve these issues with minimal impact? (Choose two.)

A. Turn on autorotation.
B. Activate airplane mode.
C. Close unnecessary applications.
D. Perform a factory reset.
E. Update the device’s operating system.
F. Reinstall the applications that have crashed.

Selected Answer: AC

Question #: 36
Topic #: 1
A customer reported that a home PC with Windows 10 installed in the default configuration is having issues loading applications after a reboot occurred in the middle of the night. Which of the following is the FIRST step in troubleshooting?

A. Install alternate open-source software in place of the applications with issues.
B. Run both CPU and memory tests to ensure that all hardware functionality is normal.
C. Check for any installed patches and roll them back one at a time until the issue is resolved.
D. Reformat the hard drive, and then reinstall the newest Windows 10 release and all applications.

Selected Answer: B

Question #: 37
Topic #: 1
Which of the following could be used to implement secure physical access to a data center?

A. Geofence
B. Alarm system
C. Badge reader
D. Motion sensor

Selected Answer: C

Question #: 38
Topic #: 1
The Chief Executive Officer at a bank recently saw a news report about a high-profile cybercrime where a remote-access tool that the bank uses for support was also used in this crime. The report stated that attackers were able to brute force passwords to access systems. Which of the following would BEST limit the bank’s risk? (Choose two.)

A. Enable multifactor authentication for each support account.
B. Limit remote access to destinations inside the corporate network.
C. Block all support accounts from logging in from foreign countries.
D. Configure a replacement remote-access tool for support cases.
E. Purchase a password manager for remote-access tool users.
F. Enforce account lockouts after five bad password attempts.

Selected Answer: AF

Question #: 39
Topic #: 1
A user reports a computer is running slow. Which of the following tools will help a technician identify the issue?

A. Disk Cleanup
B. Group Policy Editor
C. Disk Management
D. Resource Monitor

Selected Answer: D

Question #: 40
Topic #: 1
Upon downloading a new ISO, an administrator is presented with the following string:
59d15a16ce90c8ee97fa7c211b7673a8
Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of this string?

A. XSS verification
B. AES-256 verification
C. Hash verification
D. Digital signature verification

Selected Answer: C

Question #: 41
Topic #: 1
A user’s mobile phone has become sluggish. A systems administrator discovered several malicious applications on the device and reset the phone. The administrator installed MDM software. Which of the following should the administrator do to help secure the device against this threat in the future? (Choose two.)

A. Prevent a device root.
B. Disable biometric authentication.
C. Require a PIN on the unlock screen.
D. Enable developer mode.
E. Block a third-party application installation.
F. Prevent GPS spoofing.

Selected Answer: AE

Question #: 42
Topic #: 1
A technician is unable to join a Windows 10 laptop to a domain. Which of the following is the MOST likely reason?

A. The domain’s processor compatibility is not met.
B. The laptop has Windows 10 Home installed.
C. The laptop does not have an onboard Ethernet adapter.
D. The laptop does not have all current Windows updates installed.

Selected Answer: B

Question #: 43
Topic #: 1
Which of the following OS types provides a lightweight option for workstations that need an easy-to-use, browser-based interface?

A. FreeBSD
B. Chrome OS
C. macOS
D. Windows

Selected Answer: B

Question #: 44
Topic #: 1
A user has requested help setting up the fingerprint reader on a Windows 10 laptop. The laptop is equipped with a fingerprint reader and is joined to a domain.
Group Policy enables Windows Hello on all computers in the environment. Which of the following options describes how to set up Windows Hello Fingerprint for the user?

A. Navigate to the Control Panel utility, select the Security and Maintenance submenu, select Change Security and Maintenance settings, select Windows Hello Fingerprint, and have the user place a fingerprint on the fingerprint reader repeatedly until Windows indicates setup is complete.
B. Navigate to the Windows 10 Settings menu, select the Accounts submenu, select Sign-in options, select Windows Hello Fingerprint, and have the user place a fingerprint on the fingerprint reader repeatedly until Windows indicates setup is complete.
C. Navigate to the Windows 10 Settings menu, select the Update & Security submenu, select Windows Security, select Windows Hello Fingerprint, and have the user place a fingerprint on the fingerprint reader repeatedly until Windows indicates setup is complete.
D. Navigate to the Control Panel utility, select the Administrative Tools submenu, select the user account in the list, select Windows Hello Fingerprint, and have the user place a fingerprint on the fingerprint reader repeatedly until Windows indicates setup is complete.

Selected Answer: B

Question #: 45
Topic #: 1
An architecture firm is considering upgrading its computer-aided design (CAD) software to the newest version that forces storage of backups of all CAD files on the software’s cloud server. Which of the following is MOST likely to be of concern to the IT manager?

A. All updated software must be tested with all system types and accessories.
B. Extra technician hours must be budgeted during installation of updates.
C. Network utilization will be significantly increased due to the size of CAD files.
D. Large update and installation files will overload the local hard drives.

Selected Answer: C

Question #: 46
Topic #: 1
Someone who is fraudulently claiming to be from a reputable bank calls a company employee. Which of the following describes this incident?

A. Pretexting
B. Spoofing
C. Vishing
D. Scareware

Selected Answer: C

Question #: 47
Topic #: 1
The network was breached over the weekend. System logs indicate that a single user’s account was successfully breached after 500 attempts with a dictionary attack. Which of the following would BEST mitigate this threat?

A. Encryption at rest
B. Account lockout
C. Automatic screen lock
D. Antivirus

Selected Answer: B

Question #: 48
Topic #: 1
A user reports a PC is running slowly. The technician suspects it has a badly fragmented hard drive. Which of the following tools should the technician use?

A. resmon.exe
B. msconfig.exe
C. dfrgui.exe
D. msinfo32.exe

Selected Answer: C

Question #: 49
Topic #: 1
A company has just refreshed several desktop PCs. The hard drives contain PII. Which of the following is the BEST method to dispose of the drives?

A. Drilling
B. Degaussing
C. Low-level formatting
D. Erasing/wiping

Selected Answer: B

Question #: 50
Topic #: 1
Which of the following is the MOST cost-effective version of Windows 10 that allows remote access through Remote Desktop?

A. Home
B. Pro for Workstations
C. Enterprise
D. Pro

Selected Answer: D