Practice for the CompTIA A+ Core 2 exam with 17 exam-style practice questions, instant answer reveals, and concise explanations of every correct answer. Topics include: A company is integrating an AI-powered virtual assistant into its internal communication system for processing emails, a. Follow @CertPunch and visit certpunch.com for more certification practice exams and study content.
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What you will practice
- A company is integrating an AI-powered virtual assistant into its internal communication system for processin…
- You are troubleshooting a network connectivity issue and need to determine the packet's flow path from your s…
- Which type of malware is used to actively attempt to steal confidential information by capturing a user's dat…
- Which of the following best describes how RAM affects system performance when running applications?
- A company is implementing enhanced user authentication for system administrators accessing the company's conf…
- You are working as a penetration tester and have discovered a new method of exploiting a vulnerability within…
Answers and explanations
Tap a question to expand the answer and the exam reasoning. Try to commit to your own pick first.
Q1. A company is integrating an AI-powered virtual assistant into its internal communication system for processing emails, analyzing reports, and summarizing meetings. The legal team is concerned that sensitive business information may be acce…
Answer: B. Data privacy
Data privacy is the primary concern because the legal team must ensure sensitive information isn't improperly exposed or stored by the external AI provider. Software licensing and update frequency handle legal compliance and patching, but they do not directly address confidentiality risks.
Q2. You are troubleshooting a network connectivity issue and need to determine the packet's flow path from your system to the remote server. Which of the following tools would best help you identify the path between the two systems?
Answer: B. tracert
The tracert command determines the path packets take to a destination by using ICMP echo requests with varying TTL values. For the exam, remember that path discovery points to tracert, while ipconfig displays configuration and netstat shows active connections.
Q3. Which type of malware is used to actively attempt to steal confidential information by capturing a user's data when typed into a web browser or other application?
Answer: C. Keylogger
A keylogger actively steals confidential information by recording keystrokes entered into applications. Spyware broadly monitors activity, while trojans and rootkits focus on system control or hidden access.
Q4. Which of the following best describes how RAM affects system performance when running applications?
Answer: A. If an application needs more RAM than is available, the system uses part of the storage drive as virtual memory.
When applications exhaust physical memory, the system relies on slower virtual memory using the storage drive, degrading overall performance. Remember that adding RAM only helps if you were out of memory, and it does not directly increase CPU clock speeds.
Q5. A company is implementing enhanced user authentication for system administrators accessing the company's confidential servers. They intend to use two-factor authentication to accomplish this. Which of these BEST represents two-factor authe…
Answer: B. Password and key fob
True two-factor authentication requires two different types of validation, such as a password and a physical key fob. Choosing two items from the same category, like a fingerprint and retina scan, only provides single-factor authentication.
Q6. You are working as a penetration tester and have discovered a new method of exploiting a vulnerability within the Windows 10 operating system. You conduct some research online and discover that a security patch against this particular vuln…
Answer: A. Zero-day
A zero-day threat exploits a vulnerability before developers release a patch to fix it. For the exam, associate missing security updates or newly discovered flaws with zero-day attacks, unlike brute force which targets passwords.
Q7. Jonathan's browser loads an unrecognized search engine with poor results and numerous pop-ups. What TWO actions should Jonathan perform first?
Answer: A,F. Disable any unapproved applications from the Startup tab in the Task Manager || Reset the web browser to the default settings and configuration
Resetting the web browser reverts malicious search engine changes, and disabling unapproved startup items prevents malware from reloading on reboot. Remember these initial remediation steps for browser hijacks before pursuing deeper antivirus scans.
Q8. A programmer is writing a script to calculate the disk space needed to perform a daily backup. The programming wants to document his script so that other programmers can understand what his logic was when he wrote it. Which of the followin…
Answer: C. Comment
Comments allow programmers to document logic inside scripts without affecting execution. Variables store data, constants hold fixed values, and loops repeat tasks, but none of these inherently explain code to human readers.
Q9. You are working as a technician where your organization has received approval to migrate its email services to a new cloud provider. The IT team has created a detailed plan, including a rollback strategy, communication with end users, and…
Answer: C. Implementation
Implementation is the correct classification because it refers to the phase where an approved change is executed according to the defined plan. A risk assessment occurs earlier during the planning phase, while a post-change review happens after the deployment to evaluate success.
Q10. Which of the following operating systems cannot be run on a laptop?
Answer: A. iOS
iOS is correct because it is Apple's proprietary mobile operating system designed exclusively for iPhones and iPads. Windows and Linux are standard desktop and laptop operating systems, while Android has been adapted for use on certain mobile devices and some laptops.
Q11. A technician receives a call from a user stating that their web browser keeps redirecting to unfamiliar websites, and their homepage has changed without permission. What is the best first step in diagnosing the issue?
Answer: D. Check for unwanted browser extensions or settings changes.
Checking for unwanted browser extensions or settings changes directly addresses the symptoms of a browser hijacker. Disabling the network connection only stops connectivity without fixing the root cause, and switching browsers does not remove the underlying infection.
Q12. You have submitted an RFC to install a security patch on all of your company's Windows 2019 servers during the weekly maintenance window. Which of the following change request documents would describe why the change will be installed durin…
Answer: B. Purpose
The purpose section of a change request document defines why the change or installation will occur. Scope defines the exact size and scale of the change, while the plan details how the change will be implemented by the technicians.
Q13. Which of the following data types would be used to store the number 21?
Answer: C. Integers
Integers are the correct data type because they are used to store whole numbers without fractional components. Floating point numbers store decimals, strings store characters, and booleans only represent true or false values.
Q14. A user contacts the help desk and complains they are getting an error when they attempt to open a 4 GB .dmg file on their Windows 10 workstation. Which of the following should you tell them?
Answer: B. "You need to use macOS to open DMG files."
A DMG file is a macOS disk image format natively used to download and install applications on Apple computers. Windows cannot open these files natively without third-party tools, making the operating system mismatch the direct cause of the error.
Q15. Which file system type is used to mount remote storage devices on a Linux system?
Answer: B. NFS
The Network File System, or NFS, is the standard protocol used to mount remote storage devices over a network on Linux systems. NTFS is a Windows file system, APFS is for macOS, and exFAT is optimized for external flash drives.
Q16. Dion Training has recently replaced the batteries in their rack-mounted UPS in their data center. Which of the following should their technicians do to dispose of the depleted batteries?
Answer: B. Research local regulations for toxic waste disposal in their area
Researching local regulations for toxic waste disposal is required because UPS batteries contain hazardous materials subject to strict environmental laws. Throwing them in standard trash or recycling bins violates safety protocols and local compliance mandates.
Q17. Which security feature remembers the MAC address first connected to a switch port to prevent unauthorized device connections?
Answer: C. Port security
Port security is correct because it allows administrators to restrict switch port access to specific remembered MAC addresses, blocking unauthorized devices. A firewall filters network traffic, while single sign-on handles authentication across multiple services.
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