220-1102 Question 485
Single answerUse password managersA small accounting firm has had several users reuse the same weak password across cloud services and internal web applications. As the desktop support technician, you are asked to recommend a solution that improves password security without causing users to write passwords on sticky notes. Which action is the BEST recommendation?
- A
Deploy a password manager so users can store unique, complex passwords for each account and protect the vault with a strong master password and MFA
- B
Create one complex company-wide password and require users to memorize it for all systems to reduce forgotten password tickets
- C
Instruct users to save all passwords in an unencrypted spreadsheet stored on a shared network drive with restricted NTFS permissions
- D
Require users to change their passwords every week so reused passwords become less useful to attackers
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best recommendation is to use a password manager because it helps users generate and store unique, complex passwords for each account, which directly mitigates password reuse. In real support environments, password managers also improve usability by reducing the need for memorization and discouraging insecure practices such as writing passwords on paper or storing them in plain text files. CompTIA A+ Core 2 security objectives include understanding authentication best practices and the use of password managers. This aligns with widely accepted guidance from organizations such as NIST, which emphasizes using strong unique passwords and supports password manager use while discouraging unnecessary forced password changes unless compromise is suspected.
- A. Correct.
This is correct. A password manager is a best-practice tool for reducing password reuse and helping users maintain unique, complex passwords for different services. Protecting the password vault with a strong master password and multifactor authentication further reduces risk if a device is lost or a password is guessed. This directly addresses both the security problem and the usability issue of users writing passwords down.
- B. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. A single shared password across multiple systems creates a major security risk. If that password is exposed, multiple resources are compromised at once, and accountability is lost because users are not using unique credentials. Although it may seem easier for users, it conflicts with standard security practice.
- C. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. An unencrypted spreadsheet is not an appropriate password storage method, even if access is limited with file permissions. If the file is copied, improperly shared, or accessed by malware, the passwords are exposed in plain text. This is a common but unsafe workaround compared with using a proper password manager.
- D. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. Frequent password changes by themselves do not solve password reuse and can actually encourage weaker user behavior, such as minor predictable changes or writing passwords down. Modern best practices focus more on strong unique passwords, password managers, and MFA rather than arbitrary frequent changes unless there is evidence of compromise.