CompTIA A+ Practice Test (220-1202)

MFA requires at least two different factor categories (knowledge, possession, or inherence). Swiping an NFC badge is a possession factor. Adding a PIN the user must enter after swiping introduces a knowledge factor, so the system now checks two distinct factors-meeting MFA guidelines. Swiping the badge twice or switching to another possession item (key fob) is still only one factor. Replacing the badge with an emailed OTP removes the possession factor entirely and still uses only one factor unless combined with something else.

Scanning the system for malware is the best next step because the false desktop alerts could be a symptom of malware attempting to disable security features or impersonate antivirus warnings. Reinstalling the antivirus or updating the OS may not address potential malware infections, and disabling the alerts could leave the system vulnerable.

The System File Checker (SFC) tool is a built-in utility in Windows that scans and replaces corrupted or missing system files with healthy ones. It is a common troubleshooting step to run SFC when experiencing system instability, BSOD, or other system file-related issues. It is not a tool for updating drivers or applications, nor is it a tool for scanning for malware.

tracert is the correct answer because it sends a sequence of Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echo requests to a specified destination with incrementing Time To Live (TTL) values. At each hop where the TTL expires, the host sends back an ICMP time exceeded message, providing the IP address of the intermediate point and the round-trip time for that segment. This allows the user to see the entire path packets take to the destination, as well as the delays at each hop. ping, while it measures the round-trip time to the remote host, does not show the intermediate hops. ipconfig is used for displaying the current network configuration, particularly local addressing information, and hostname provides the name of the current host, which does not contribute to the tracing of the packet's journey.

Escalation levels are the different levels of support within an IT service department. The help desk is usually the first to place contacted about an issue. If the help desk is unable to resolve the issue, it is then “escalated” to the next level (also called a tier).

XFS is a 64-bit, high-performance journaling filesystem that excels at handling very large files and volumes. It supports online expansion, allowing administrators to grow the filesystem while it is mounted, and it provides an online defragmentation utility (xfs_fsr) that runs without taking the volume offline. ext4 can grow online but its defragmentation options are limited and less effective for multi-terabyte workloads. FAT32 and NTFS are not native Linux choices for large, multi-terabyte data sets, and FAT32 has strict size limits. Therefore, XFS is the most appropriate choice for the stated requirements.

A full backup creates a complete copy of all selected files and data every time it runs, regardless of whether the data has changed since the last backup. This is essential for restoring the entire system if needed. Incremental and differential backups, on the other hand, only save changes made since previous backups, making them faster but requiring a full backup as a base for restoration.

This scenario describes tailgating-an unauthorized person following an authorized badge holder into a restricted area. Company policy should require you to stop or politely challenge the individual and direct them to show a valid badge or check in with security. Allowing entry without verification, lending your badge, or propping the door open defeats the access-control system and exposes the facility to physical compromise.

Mobile Device Management (MDM) software is used to manage groups of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Because these devices run different operating systems than their PC counterparts, are often used by employees at home or on public wireless networks and can download applications from app stores, special management software is needed to ensure their security.

User information-such as name, department, and contact details-provides context that helps technicians diagnose problems in the user's specific environment, follow up for additional details, and document ownership of the request. Without it, tracking, prioritizing, and communicating about the ticket become difficult.

Incorrect answers:

• Billing the user is handled by other processes, not the primary reason for collecting contact details.
• Marketing segmentation is unrelated to technical support activities.
• Automatic ticket closure without technician review would risk unresolved issues and is not a standard function of user-info fields.

BitLocker Drive Encryption is Microsoft's built-in full-disk encryption solution. It encrypts the entire volume and, when configured with a TPM PIN, password, or startup key, blocks access until the correct authentication method is supplied at boot. Encrypting File System (EFS) works only at the file or folder level, System Restore merely rolls system files back to a previous state, and File History is a backup tool; none of these protect the whole drive at startup. [Microsoft Learn - BitLocker overview]

A sandbox virtual machine is designed for isolated, disposable testing. It keeps potential malware contained and can be reverted or destroyed after each run, ensuring no impact on the host operating system. Test/development VMs focus on building software, and application or cross-platform virtualization solve compatibility issues rather than providing strong isolation.

The most effective way to ensure safety when working on a powered device is to unplug it from the power source. This step eliminates the risk of electric shock and accidental activation of the device.

Although other methods like using grounding techniques can reduce risks, they do not completely remove the potential danger as unplugging does. Always ensure the device is completely powered down before beginning repairs.

SMS provides a second factor, but it relies on a phone number delivered across the public telephone network instead of a cryptographic secret stored on a trusted device. Attackers can use social-engineering techniques to transfer the victim's number to a new SIM card or exploit weaknesses in carrier signaling (such as SS7), letting them receive the one-time codes and bypass MFA. Authenticator apps and hardware tokens generate the codes locally and are not subject to carrier-network interception, so they offer stronger protection.

Severity levels are used within a ticketing system to signify the urgency that a ticket needs to be addressed. This is usually reflected using the quantifiers, low, medium and high.

The UEFI firmware cannot list or hand off control to an operating-system loader if it does not detect a physical boot device. A loose cable, failed NVMe module, or otherwise unreadable drive will therefore trigger the "Operating system not found" message. Secure Boot settings, video-driver problems, or DHCP configuration do not prevent the firmware from detecting and listing the drive itself.

The first step in dealing with a malware infection is to quarantine the affected system to prevent the malware from spreading to other systems on the network or accessing network resources. Disconnecting the computer from the network can be achieved by physically unplugging it from the network or disabling its network connection. Isolation prevents malware from communicating with any command-and-control servers and stops it from spreading laterally across the network.

Home - Correct. Windows 10 Home is aimed at consumers and lacks enterprise features such as BitLocker management, Remote Desktop host, and domain join.

Pro - Incorrect. Pro includes BitLocker, Remote Desktop host, and the ability to join a domain.

Enterprise - Incorrect. Enterprise builds on Pro with even more advanced security and deployment tools.

Pro for Workstations - Incorrect. This edition adds features for high-end hardware (e.g., ReFS, SMB Direct) and still includes BitLocker and Remote Desktop host capabilities.

A magnetometer senses changes in a magnetic field. When a person carrying a ferromagnetic object (such as a firearm or knife) passes through its detection zone, the metal disturbs the field and triggers an alarm. This makes magnetometers effective for locating concealed weapons during security screenings. They do not create body-scan images, measure radiation, or weigh individuals.

• Magnetometer security systems use magnetic-field variations to identify metallic threats.
• Magnetometers can be used as metal detectors, detecting only magnetic (ferrous) metals.

The VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE stop code is almost always produced by an unstable or incompatible video driver. Because the system will boot in Safe Mode (which loads a basic Microsoft display driver), the quickest non-destructive fix is to roll back the recently installed driver in Device Manager. DISM and other file-repair tools target corrupted system files, not bad drivers, and replacing hardware or editing the registry should be attempted only after confirming the driver itself is not the cause.