CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1002) — Question 180

Joe, a user, notifies Ann, a technician, of a message that is displaying on his screen. The message has taken over the entire screen, and no icons are displayed.
Joe, further explains that the message still appears after several reboot attempts. Upon further inspection of the affected PC, Ann notices a request for cryptocurrency payment to obtain the unlock key.
Which of the following is MOST likely the cause?

Answer options

• A. Ransomware
• B. Cryptomining
• C. Rootkit
• D. Keylogger

Correct answer: A

Explanation

The scenario describes a classic ransomware attack, where the user's data is held hostage until a payment is made. Cryptomining, rootkits, and keyloggers do not typically manifest as a full-screen message demanding payment; thus, they are not relevant to this situation.