CompTIA 220-1202 - CompTIA A+ Core 2 (2026 Exam Update)

Keychainis the built-in macOS utility that manages and stores credentials, including passwords and certificates.

According toQuentin Docter – CompTIA A+ Complete Study Guide:

“Keychain Access in macOS is used for managing and storing passwords securely, similar to credential managers in Windows.”

The correct answer is C. Disconnect the power, because safety is the first priority when working inside a computer case. Before opening the system, all power sources must be removed to prevent electrical shock and hardware damage.

According to the Quentin Docter – CompTIA A+ Complete Study Guide, technicians should always shut down the system and disconnect the power cable before opening a computer. Even powered-off systems can still carry electrical current if they remain plugged in.

The Travis Everett & Andrew Hutz – All-in-One Exam Guide explains that unexpected noises are often caused by fans, loose cables, or failing hard drives. Opening the case while the system is powered can cause injury or damage sensitive components.

The Mike Meyers / Mark Soper Lab Manual reinforces the standard safety sequence: power off the system, unplug it, discharge residual power, and then apply grounding measures before touching internal components.

Because disconnecting power eliminates electrical hazards and protects both the technician and the equipment, C is the correct answer.

Smishing (SMS phishing) is a type of social engineering attack where attackers send fraudulent text messages to trick users into revealing sensitive information or downloading malware. These messages often impersonate banks, delivery services, or official institutions to lure the victim into clicking malicious links.

A. Impersonation is an in-person or voice-based tactic.

B. Vishing refers to voice phishing over phone calls.

C. Spear phishing is a targeted email-based phishing method.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) define the mandatory steps and expectations technicians must follow during support calls. This includes documentation standards such as logging user info, asset details, and issue descriptions in the ticketing system. Implementing SOPs ensures consistency and accountability.

A. SLAs define response/resolution times but not documentation practices.

B. Call categories organize types of issues but don ' t guide technician actions.

D. Knowledge base articles provide solutions to known problems but don ' t ensure proper ticket documentation.

The correct answer is D. Roaming profiles, because roaming profiles allow users to log in to any domain-joined workstation and automatically access their personal settings, documents, and configuration without storing data locally on each machine. This is ideal for environments with hot-desking or shared workstations.

According to the Quentin Docter – CompTIA A+ Complete Study Guide, roaming profiles store user data centrally on a server rather than on individual computers. When a user logs in, their profile is loaded; when they log out, changes are saved back to the server. This minimizes data duplication and reduces the risk of data being left behind on shared systems.

The Travis Everett & Andrew Hutz – All-in-One Exam Guide emphasizes that roaming profiles improve security by preventing sensitive user data from being permanently stored on multiple endpoints. This also simplifies backup and recovery, since user data resides in a centralized location.

The Mike Meyers / Mark Soper Lab Manual clarifies that portable drives introduce data loss risks, cloud email only addresses messaging data, and certificate storage does not manage user profiles or documents.

Because the goal is to maintain data security while allowing mobility and minimizing data transfer, roaming profiles are the most appropriate solution, making D the correct answer.

The recurring print issue suggests theprint spooler service is not set to start automatically, causing it to stop between sessions. Ensuring it is set tostart automaticallyand manuallystarting the servicewill resolve the issue.

FromMark Soper – Mike Meyers ' Lab Manual:

“The print spooler is essential for print services. If it isn’t configured to start automatically, users may experience recurring failures.”

“Manually starting the service or setting it to ' Automatic ' in the Services panel resolves persistent print availability problems.”

These symptoms strongly indicatemalware infectionor a malicious app running in the background. The first action should be torun a malware scanto identify and remove malicious components.

FromQuentin Docter – CompTIA A+ Complete Study Guide:

“If a mobile device is overheating and the battery drains rapidly after installing an app, this could point to malware. Begin by scanning the device with a mobile anti-malware application.”

The correct answer is D. Disk encryption . A laptop used while traveling internationally has a higher risk of loss, theft, or unauthorized physical access. Disk encryption protects the data even if the attacker removes the drive and connects it to another computer. Quentin Docter’s Complete Study Guide explains that BitLocker uses drive encryption to protect files, including startup and login-related files, and that a TPM can safely store the encryption key so it is not stored on the encrypted disk. It also notes that BitLocker helps mitigate data loss because a removed drive remains encrypted. The Mike Meyers/Mark Soper material similarly states that BitLocker encrypts the whole drive and protects data if a portable computer or hard drive is stolen. A screen lock is useful, but it only protects an active or idle session. Content filtering controls web access, and restricted login times limit when users can sign in, but neither provides strong protection for stored data on a stolen laptop.

The correct answer is C. SAML. Security Assertion Markup Language is commonly used for single sign-on between an identity provider and a service provider, especially when an organization wants a third-party application to trust its existing identity service. The CompTIA A+ objectives include SSO, meaning single sign-on, and the objectives’ acronym list identifies SSO as a relevant exam term. In this scenario, the organization wants users to authenticate through its existing identity system rather than maintaining separate credentials for the third-party application. SAML is the best match because it passes authentication assertions between trusted parties. OTP means one-time password and is an authentication factor, not an SSO federation standard. ACL means access control list and controls permissions to resources. UAC is Windows User Account Control, which prompts for administrative approval on a local system. Therefore, SAML is the correct technology for third-party SSO integration.

When an OS reaches its end of life (EOL), it no longer receives updates or support, including critical security patches.

From the Quentin Docter Study Guide:

“End-of-life means the manufacturer no longer supports the OS with updates or security patches, which exposes systems to vulnerabilities unless upgraded”.

All-in-One Exam Guide adds:

“End-of-life notifications serve as a final warning that continued use of the OS will be insecure and unsupported. It’s crucial for administrators to plan migration”.