220-1102 Question 219
Single answerKeychainA graphic designer uses a company-issued MacBook and reports that Safari keeps asking for the password to a saved website account, even though the password was previously stored and autofill is enabled. You confirm the website credentials exist in the user's macOS Keychain, but the prompts continue after the user recently changed their Mac login password while disconnected from the company network. Which action is the MOST appropriate first step to resolve the issue without unnecessarily deleting saved credentials?
- A
Open Keychain Access and verify or repair the login keychain password so it matches the user's current macOS account password
- B
Disable FileVault, restart the Mac, and then re-enable FileVault so Safari can read saved passwords again
- C
Delete the entire login keychain and create a new one immediately
- D
Reset Safari history, cookies, and website data to force Keychain to resync the saved password
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
This scenario tests practical knowledge of macOS Keychain troubleshooting. Keychain Access stores passwords, certificates, and other secure items, and the login keychain is often tied to the user's login password. If the macOS account password changes and the login keychain does not update accordingly, applications may repeatedly prompt for access to stored secrets. Best practice is to troubleshoot the keychain first and preserve user data, rather than deleting it immediately. Apple support documentation and enterprise macOS administration guidance commonly distinguish between browser data issues and secure credential storage issues in Keychain, making verification of the login keychain password the most appropriate first step.
- A. Correct.
Correct. On macOS, the login keychain commonly uses the same password as the user's account. If the account password changes in a way that does not automatically update the keychain password, the user can experience repeated prompts when apps such as Safari try to access saved credentials. The best first step is to check the login keychain in Keychain Access and update or repair access by syncing the keychain password with the current account password, preserving existing stored items whenever possible.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. FileVault is full-disk encryption and is not the normal cause of repeated Safari prompts for a stored website password. Disabling and re-enabling FileVault is disruptive, unnecessary, and does not address a login keychain password mismatch.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Deleting the entire login keychain may remove saved passwords, certificates, and other secrets. While creating a new keychain can be a last-resort troubleshooting step if the keychain is corrupted and unrecoverable, it is not the most appropriate first action when the issue likely stems from a password mismatch after a login password change.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Clearing Safari history, cookies, and site data may affect browser sessions or website behavior, but it does not fix a mismatched or locked login keychain. A technician might choose this if they confuse browser-stored session data with credentials stored securely in Keychain.