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CompTIA 220-1102 Exam Topics

CompTIA 220-1102 Exam Overview :

Exam Name: CompTIA A+ Core 2 Exam
Exam Code: 220-1102
Certifications: CompTIA A+ Certification
Actual Exam Duration: 90 minutes
Expected no. of Questions in Actual Exam: 90
See Expected Questions: CompTIA 220-1102 Expected Questions in Actual Exam

CompTIA 220-1102 Exam Objectives :

Section Weight Objectives
1.0 Operating Systems 31% 1.1 Identify basic features of Microsoft Windows editions.
• Windows 10 editions
- Home
- Pro
- Pro for Workstations
- Enterprise
• Feature differences
- Domain access vs. workgroup
- Desktop styles/user interface
- Availability of Remote Desktop
Protocol (RDP)
- Random-access memory (RAM)
support limitations
- BitLocker
- gpedit.msc
• Upgrade paths
- In-place upgrade

1.2 Given a scenario, use the appropriate Microsoft command-line tool.
• Navigation
- cd
- dir
- md
- rmdir
- Drive navigation inputs:
M C: or D: or x:
• Command-line tools
- ipconfig
- ping
- hostname
- netstat
- nslookup
- chkdsk
- net user
- net use
- tracert
- format
- xcopy
- copy
- robocopy
- gpupdate
- gpresult
- shutdown
- sfc
- [command name] /?
- diskpart
- pathping
- winver

1.3 Given a scenario, use features and tools of the Microsoft
Windows 10 operating system (OS).
• Task Manager
- Services
- Startup
- Performance
- Processes
- Users
• Microsoft Management Console
(MMC) snap-in
- Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc)
- Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc)
- Task Scheduler (taskschd.msc)
- Device Manager (devmgmt.msc)
- Certificate Manager (certmgr.msc)
- Local Users and Groups
(lusrmgr.msc)
- Performance Monitor
(perfmon.msc)
- Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)
• Additional tools
- System Information (msinfo32.
exe)
- Resource Monitor (resmon.exe)
- System Configuration (msconfig.
exe)
- Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr.exe)
- Disk Defragment (dfrgui.exe)
- Registry Editor (regedit.exe)

1.4 Given a scenario, use the appropriate Microsoft Windows 10 Control Panel utility.
• Internet Options
• Devices and Printers
• Programs and Features
• Network and Sharing Center
• System
• Windows Defender Firewall
• Mail
• Sound
• User Accounts
• Device Manager
• Indexing Options
• Administrative Tools
• File Explorer Options
- Show hidden files
- Hide extensions
- General options
- View options
• Power Options
- Hibernate
- Power plans
- Sleep/suspend
- Standby
- Choose what closing the lid does
- Turn on fast startup
- Universal Serial Bus (USB)
selective suspend
• Ease of Access

1.5 Given a scenario, use the appropriate Windows settings.
• Time and Language
• Update and Security
• Personalization
• Apps
• Privacy
• System
• Devices
• Network and Internet
• Gaming
• Accounts

1.6 Given a scenario, configure Microsoft Windows networking features on a client/desktop.
• Workgroup vs. domain setup
- Shared resources
- Printers
- File servers
- Mapped drives
• Local OS firewall settings
- Application restrictions and
exceptions
- Configuration
• Client network configuration
- Internet Protocol (IP) addressing
scheme
- Domain Name System (DNS)
settings
- Subnet mask
- Gateway
- Static vs. dynamic
• Establish network connections
- Virtual private network (VPN)
- Wireless
- Wired
- Wireless wide area network
(WWAN)
• Proxy settings
• Public network vs. private network
• File Explorer navigation – network
paths
• Metered connections and limitations

1.7 Given a scenario, apply application installation and configuration concepts.
• System requirements for
applications
- 32-bit vs. 64-bit dependent
application requirements
- Dedicated graphics card vs.
integrated
- Video random-access memory
(VRAM) requirements
- RAM requirements
- Central processing unit (CPU)
requirements
- External hardware tokens
- Storage requirements
• OS requirements for applications
- Application to OS compatibility
- 32-bit vs. 64-bit OS
• Distribution methods
- Physical media vs. downloadable
- ISO mountable
• Other considerations for new
applications
- Impact to device
- Impact to network
- Impact to operation
- Impact to busines

1.8 Explain common OS types and their purposes.
• Workstation OSs
- Windows
- Linux
- macOS
- Chrome OS
• Cell phone/tablet OSs
- iPadOS
- iOS
- Android
• Various filesystem types
- New Technology File System
(NTFS)
- File Allocation Table 32 (FAT32)
- Third extended filesystem (ext3)
- Fourth extended filesystem
(ext4)
- Apple File System (APFS)
- Extensible File Allocation Table
(exFAT)
• Vendor life-cycle limitations
- End-of-life (EOL)
- Update limitations
• Compatibility concerns between
OSs

1.9 Given a scenario, perform OS installations and upgrades in a diverse OS environment.
• Boot methods
- USB
- Optical media
- Network
- Solid-state/flash drives
- Internet-based
- External/hot-swappable drive
- Internal hard drive (partition)
• Types of installations
- Upgrade
- Recovery partition
- Clean install
- Image deployment
- Repair installation
- Remote network installation
- Other considerations
M Third-party drivers
• Partitioning
- GUID [globally unique identifier]
Partition Table (GPT)
- Master boot record (MBR)
• Drive format
• Upgrade considerations
- Backup files and user
preferences
- Application and driver support/
backward compatibility
- Hardware compatibility
• Feature updates
- Product life cycle

1.10 Identify common features and tools of the macOS/desktop OS.
• Installation and uninstallation of
applications
- File types
M .dmg
M .pkg
M .app
- App Store
- Uninstallation process
• Apple ID and corporate
restrictions
• Best practices
- Backups
- Antivirus
- Updates/patches
• System Preferences
- Displays
- Networks
- Printers
- Scanners
- Privacy
- Accessibility
- Time Machine
• Features
- Multiple desktops
- Mission Control
- Keychain
- Spotlight
- iCloud
- Gestures
- Finder
- Remote Disc
- Dock
• Disk Utility
• FileVault
• Terminal
• Force Quit

1.11 Identify common features and tools of the Linux client/desktop OS.
• Common commands
- ls
- pwd
- mv
- cp
- rm
- chmod
- chown
- su/sudo
- apt-get
- yum
- ip
- df
- grep
- ps
- man
- top
- find
- dig
- cat
- nano
• Best practices
- Backups
- Antivirus
- Updates/patches
• Tools
- Shell/terminal
- Samba
2.0 Security 25% 2.1 Summarize various security measures and their purposes.
• Physical security
- Access control vestibule
- Badge reader
- Video surveillance
- Alarm systems
- Motion sensors
- Door locks
- Equipment locks
- Guards
- Bollards
- Fences
• Physical security for staff
- Key fobs
- Smart cards
- Keys
- Biometrics
M Retina scanner
M Fingerprint scanner
M Palmprint scanner
- Lighting
- Magnetometers
• Logical security
- Principle of least privilege
- Access control lists (ACLs)
- Multifactor authentication (MFA)
- Email
- Hard token
- Soft token
- Short message service (SMS)
- Voice call
- Authenticator application
• Mobile device management (MDM)
• Active Directory
- Login script
- Domain
- Group Policy/updates
- Organizational units
- Home folder
- Folder redirection
- Security groups

2.2 Compare and contrast wireless security protocols and authentication methods.
• Protocols and encryption
- WiFi Protected Access 2 (WPA2)
- WPA3
- Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP)
- Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
• Authentication
- Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS)
- Terminal Access Controller Access-Control System (TACACS+)
- Kerberos
- Multifactor

2.3 Given a scenario, detect, remove, and prevent malware using the appropriate tools and methods.
• Malware
- Trojan
- Rootkit
- Virus
- Spyware
- Ransomware
- Keylogger
- Boot sector virus
- Cryptominers
• Tools and methods
- Recovery mode
- Antivirus
- Anti-malware
- Software firewalls
- Anti-phishing training
- User education regarding common threats
- OS reinstallation

2.4 Explain common social-engineering attacks, threats, and vulnerabilities.
• Social engineering
- Phishing
- Vishing
- Shoulder surfing
- Whaling
- Tailgating
- Impersonation
- Dumpster diving
- Evil twin
• Threats
- Distributed denial of service (DDoS)
- Denial of service (DoS)
- Zero-day attack
- Spoofing
- On-path attack
- Brute-force attack
- Dictionary attack
- Insider threat
- Structured Query Language (SQL) injection
- Cross-site scripting (XSS)
• Vulnerabilities
- Non-compliant systems
- Unpatched systems
- Unprotected systems (missing antivirus/missing firewall)
- EOL OSs
- Bring your own device (BYOD)

2.5 Given a scenario, manage and configure basic security settings in the Microsoft Windows OS.
• Defender Antivirus
- Activate/deactivate
- Updated definitions
• Firewall
- Activate/deactivate
- Port security
- Application security
• Users and groups
- Local vs. Microsoft account
- Standard account
- Administrator
- Guest user
- Power user
• Login OS options
- Username and password
- Personal identification number (PIN)
- Fingerprint
- Facial recognition
- Single sign-on (SSO)
• NTFS vs. share permissions
- File and folder attributes
- Inheritance
• Run as administrator vs. standard user
- User Account Control (UAC)
• BitLocker
• BitLocker To Go
• Encrypting File System (EFS)

2.6 Given a scenario, configure a workstation to meet best practices for security.
• Data-at-rest encryption
• Password best practices
- Complexity requirements
M Length
M Character types
- Expiration requirements
- Basic input/output system (BIOS)/
Unified Extensible Firmware
Interface (UEFI) passwords
• End-user best practices
- Use screensaver locks
- Log off when not in use
- Secure/protect critical hardware (e.g., laptops)
- Secure personally identifiable information (PII) and passwords
• Account management
- Restrict user permissions
- Restrict login times
- Disable guest account
- Use failed attempts lockout
- Use timeout/screen lock
• Change default administrator’s user account/password
• Disable AutoRun
• Disable AutoPlay

2.7 Explain common methods for securing mobile and embedded devices.
• Screen locks
- Facial recognition
- PIN codes
- Fingerprint
- Pattern
- Swipe
• Remote wipes
• Locator applications
• OS updates
• Device encryption
• Remote backup applications
• Failed login attempts restrictions
• Antivirus/anti-malware
• Firewalls
• Policies and procedures
- BYOD vs. corporate owned
- Profile security requirements
• Internet of Things (IoT)

2.8 Given a scenario, use common data destruction and disposal methods.
• Physical destruction
- Drilling
- Shredding
- Degaussing
- Incinerating
• Recycling or repurposing best practices
- Erasing/wiping
- Low-level formatting
- Standard formatting
• Outsourcing concepts
- Third-party vendor
- Certification of destruction/recycling

2.9 Given a scenario, configure appropriate security settings on small office/home office (SOHO) wireless and wired networks.
• Home router settings
- Change default passwords
- IP filtering
- Firmware updates
- Content filtering
- Physical placement/secure locations
- Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol (DHCP) reservations
- Static wide-area network (WAN) IP
- Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)
- Screened subnet
• Wireless specific
- Changing the service set identifier (SSID)
- Disabling SSID broadcast
- Encryption settings
- Disabling guest access
- Changing channels
• Firewall settings
- Disabling unused ports
- Port forwarding/mapping

2.10 Given a scenario, install and configure browsers and relevant security settings.
• Browser download/installation
- Trusted sources M Hashing
- Untrusted sources
• Extensions and plug-ins
- Trusted sources
- Untrusted sources
• Password managers
• Secure connections/sites – valid certificates
• Settings
- Pop-up blocker
- Clearing browsing data
- Clearing cache
- Private-browsing mode
- Sign-in/browser data synchronization
- Ad blockers
3.0 Software Troubleshooting 22% 3.1 Given a scenario, troubleshoot common Windows OS problems.
• Common symptoms
- Blue screen of death (BSOD)
- Sluggish performance
- Boot problems
- Frequent shutdowns
- Services not starting
- Applications crashing
- Low memory warnings
- USB controller resource warnings
- System instability
- No OS found
- Slow profile load
- Time drift
• Common troubleshooting steps
- Reboot
- Restart services
- Uninstall/reinstall/update applications
- Add resources
- Verify requirements
- System file check
- Repair Windows
- Restore
- Reimage
- Roll back updates
- Rebuild Windows profiles

3.2 Given a scenario, troubleshoot common personal computer (PC) security issues.
• Common symptoms
- Unable to access the network
- Desktop alerts
- False alerts regarding antivirus protection
- Altered system or personal files
M Missing/renamed files
- Unwanted notifications within the OS
- OS update failures
• Browser-related symptoms
- Random/frequent pop-ups
- Certificate warnings
- Redirection

3.3 Given a scenario, use best practice procedures for malware removal.
1. Investigate and verify malware symptoms
2. Quarantine infected systems
3. Disable System Restore in Windows
4. Remediate infected systems
a. Update anti-malware software
b. Scanning and removal techniques (e.g., safe mode,
preinstallation environment)
5. Schedule scans and run updates
6. Enable System Restore and create
a restore point in Windows
7. Educate the end user

3.4 Given a scenario, troubleshoot common mobile OS and application issues.
• Common symptoms
- Application fails to launch
- Application fails to close/crashes
- Application fails to update
- Slow to respond
- OS fails to update
- Battery life issues
- Randomly reboots
- Connectivity issues
M Bluetooth
M WiFi
M Near-field communication (NFC)
M AirDrop
- Screen does not autorotate

3.5 Given a scenario, troubleshoot common mobile OS and application security issues.
• Security concerns
- Android package (APK) source
- Developer mode
- Root access/jailbreak
- Bootleg/malicious application
M Application spoofing
• Common symptoms
- High network traffic
- Sluggish response time
- Data-usage limit notification
- Limited Internet connectivity
- No Internet connectivity
- High number of ads
- Fake security warnings
- Unexpected application behavior
- Leaked personal files/data
4.0 Operational Procedures 22% 4.1 Given a scenario, implement best practices associated with documentation and support systems information management.
• Ticketing systems
- User information
- Device information
- Description of problems
- Categories
- Severity
- Escalation levels
- Clear, concise written communication
M Problem description
M Progress notes
M Problem resolution
• Asset management
- Inventory lists
- Database system
- Asset tags and IDs
- Procurement life cycle
- Warranty and licensing
- Assigned users
• Types of documents
- Acceptable use policy (AUP)
- Network topology diagram
- Regulatory compliance requirements
M Splash screens
- Incident reports
- Standard operating procedures
M Procedures for custom installation of software package
- New-user setup checklist
- End-user termination checklist
• Knowledge base/articles

4.2 Explain basic change-management best practices.
• Documented business processes
- Rollback plan
- Sandbox testing
- Responsible staff member
• Change management
- Request forms
- Purpose of the change
- Scope of the change
- Date and time of the change
- Affected systems/impact
- Risk analysis M Risk level
- Change board approvals
- End-user acceptance

4.3 Given a scenario, implement workstation backup and recovery methods.
• Backup and recovery
- Full
- Incremental
- Differential
- Synthetic
• Backup testing
- Frequency
• Backup rotation schemes
- On site vs. off site
- Grandfather-father-son (GFS)
- 3-2-1 backup rule

4.4 Given a scenario, use common safety procedures.
• Electrostatic discharge (ESD) straps
• ESD mats
• Equipment grounding
• Proper power handling
• Proper component handling and storage
• Antistatic bags
• Compliance with government regulations
• Personal safety
- Disconnect power before repairing PC
- Lifting techniques
- Electrical fire safety
- Safety goggles
- Air filtration mask

4.5 Summarize environmental impacts and local environmental controls.
• Material safety data sheet (MSDS)/documentation for handling and disposal
- Proper battery disposal
- Proper toner disposal
- Proper disposal of other devices and assets
• Temperature, humidity-level awareness, and proper ventilation
- Location/equipment placement
- Dust cleanup
- Compressed air/vacuums
• Power surges, under-voltage events, and power failures
- Battery backup
- Surge suppressor

4.6 Explain the importance of prohibited content/activity and privacy, licensing, and policy concepts.
• Incident response
- Chain of custody
- Inform management/law enforcement as necessary
- Copy of drive (data integrity and preservation)
- Documentation of incident
• Licensing/digital rights management (DRM)/end-user
license agreement (EULA)
- Valid licenses
- Non-expired licenses
- Personal use license vs. corporate use license
- Open-source license
• Regulated data
- Credit card transactions
- Personal government-issued information
- PII
- Healthcare data
- Data retention requirement

4.7 Given a scenario, use proper communication techniques and professionalism.
• Professional appearance and attire
- Match the required attire of the given environment
M Formal
M Business casual
• Use proper language and avoid
jargon, acronyms, and slang, when applicable
• Maintain a positive attitude/project confidence
• Actively listen, take notes, and avoid interrupting the customer
• Be culturally sensitive
- Use appropriate professional titles, when applicable
• Be on time (if late, contact the customer)
• Avoid distractions
- Personal calls
- Texting/social media sites
- Personal interruptions
• Dealing with difficult customers or situations
- Do not argue with customers or be defensive
- Avoid dismissing customer problems
- Avoid being judgmental
- Clarify customer statements (ask open-ended questions to narrow the scope of the problem, restate the issue, or question to verify understanding)
- Do not disclose experience via social media outlets
• Set and meet expectations/time line and communicate status with the customer
- Offer repair/replacement options, as needed
- Provide proper documentation on the services provided
- Follow up with customer/user at a later date to verify satisfaction
• Deal appropriately with customers’ confidential and private materials
- Located on a computer, desktop, printer, etc.

4.8 Identify the basics of scripting.
• Script file types
- .bat
- .ps1
- .vbs
- .sh
- .js
- .py
• Use cases for scripting
- Basic automation
- Restarting machines
- Remapping network drives
- Installation of applications
- Automated backups
- Gathering of information/data
- Initiating updates
• Other considerations when using scripts
- Unintentionally introducing malware
- Inadvertently changing system settings
- Browser or system crashes due to mishandling of resources

4.9 Given a scenario, use remote access technologies.
• Methods/tools
- RDP
- VPN
- Virtual network computer (VNC)
- Secure Shell (SSH)
- Remote monitoring and
management (RMM)
- Microsoft Remote Assistance (MSRA)
- Third-party tools
M Screen-sharing software
M Video-conferencing software
M File transfer software
M Desktop management
software
• Security considerations of each access method

 
Official Information https://www.comptia.org/certifications/a

Updates in the CompTIA 220-1102 Exam Topics:

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