CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) — Question 427

A staff member contacts the help desk because the staff member's device is currently experiencing the following symptoms:
✑ Long delays when launching applications
✑ Timeout errors when loading some websites
✑ Errors when attempting to open local Word documents and photo files
✑ Pop-up messages in the task bar stating that antivirus is out-of-date
✑ VPN connection that keeps timing out, causing the device to lose connectivity
Which of the following BEST describes the root cause of these symptoms?

Answer options

• A. The user has disabled the antivirus software on the device, and the hostchecker for the VPN is preventing access.
• B. The device is infected with crypto-malware, and the files on the device are being encrypted.
• C. The proxy server for accessing websites has a rootkit installed, and this is causing connectivity issues.
• D. A patch has been incorrectly applied to the device and is causing issues with the wireless adapter on the device.

Correct answer: B

Explanation

The correct answer is B because the symptoms described, such as delays and errors, suggest that the device is likely being affected by malware that is encrypting files, which aligns with the behavior of crypto-malware. The other options suggest issues with antivirus or connectivity that do not explain all the symptoms as comprehensively as the presence of crypto-malware does.