CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1102) — Question 93

A user reports that a PC seems to be running more slowly than usual. A technician checks system resources, but disk, CPU, and memory usage seem to be fine.
The technician sees that GPU temperature is extremely high. Which of the following types of malware is MOST likely to blame?

Answer options

• A. Spyware
• B. Cryptominer
• C. Ransomware
• D. Boot sector virus

Correct answer: B

Explanation

A cryptominer is designed to utilize GPU resources to mine cryptocurrencies, which can lead to excessive heating and a slowdown in performance. Spyware, ransomware, and boot sector viruses do not typically cause such high GPU temperatures as they do not leverage GPU processing power in the same way.