CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1102) — Question 441

A systems administrator notices that a server on the company network has extremely high CPU utilization. Upon further inspection, the administrator sees that the server is consistently communicating with an IP address that is traced back to a company that awards digital currency for salving hash algorithms. Which of the following was MOST likely used to compromise the server?

Answer options

• A. Keylogger
• B. Ransomware
• C. Boot sector virus
• D. Cryptomining malware

Correct answer: D

Explanation

The correct answer is D, as cryptomining malware is specifically designed to utilize a server's CPU resources to mine cryptocurrency, which would explain the high CPU utilization. Options A and B do not typically result in such consistent high CPU usage, while option C is outdated and less likely to be involved in this scenario.