220-1101 Question 281
Single answerBoot passwordA technician is preparing several laptops for employees who travel frequently with sensitive customer data. Management wants each laptop to require authentication before the operating system begins to load, even if the drive is removed and the computer is restarted outside the office. Which security control should the technician configure to BEST meet this requirement?
- A
Set a boot password in the system firmware
- B
Enable a screen lock timeout in the operating system
- C
Create a standard user account for each employee
- D
Require a password on the shared office Wi-Fi network
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The key phrase in this scenario is 'before the operating system begins to load.' That points to a boot password, sometimes called a power-on password or pre-boot password depending on the platform and vendor terminology. In CompTIA A+ Core 1 objectives, technicians are expected to recognize physical and firmware-level security controls such as BIOS/UEFI settings, including boot passwords. This control is useful for mobile devices such as laptops because it adds a barrier at startup rather than relying only on operating system controls. Best practice is to combine firmware passwords with additional protections such as full-disk encryption, strong OS authentication, and proper asset management, because a boot password alone does not replace broader endpoint security.
- A. Correct.
Correct. A boot password, typically configured in BIOS/UEFI firmware, prompts for authentication before the system continues the startup process. This helps prevent unauthorized users from simply powering on the laptop and attempting to access the installed operating system. On the A+ Core 1 exam, this is the best match for a requirement that specifically says authentication is needed before the OS loads.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A screen lock timeout protects a running or already logged-in operating system session after inactivity. It does not stop someone from powering on the device and reaching the OS login screen, so it does not satisfy the requirement for pre-boot authentication.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Standard user accounts limit privileges after a user logs in to the operating system, which is good security practice, but they do not provide authentication before startup. Someone could still power on the laptop and attempt access up to the OS login prompt.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Wi-Fi network security protects wireless network access, not local startup of the laptop. A password on the office wireless network has no effect when a system is powered on outside the office or before the operating system begins loading.