220-1102 Question 491
Single answerUse timeout/screen lockA medical office uses Windows 11 laptops at shared reception desks. Management reports that staff often step away briefly, leaving patient information visible on the screen. They want each laptop to automatically require a sign-in again after a short period of inactivity, without shutting down applications or signing users out. Which action should the technician take to BEST meet this requirement?
- A
Configure the screen saver to activate after a few minutes and enable the option to require the sign-in screen on resume
- B
Set the power button action to Shut down after 5 minutes of inactivity
- C
Configure User Account Control to prompt for credentials when the desktop is idle
- D
Enable a startup password in UEFI/BIOS so users must authenticate before Windows loads
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best solution is to use an inactivity timeout combined with a lock or sign-in requirement on resume. In Windows, this is commonly implemented through screen saver timeout settings with password protection, lock screen/sign-in settings, or centrally through Group Policy in business environments. This aligns with security best practices for shared or public-facing workstations, especially in environments handling sensitive information such as healthcare. The key requirement is to protect the active user session without closing applications or logging the user off. Microsoft security guidance and standard enterprise hardening practices support automatic locking of inactive sessions to reduce unauthorized access to unattended devices.
- A. Correct.
This is correct. Configuring an inactivity timeout that turns on a screen saver or locks the session and requiring sign-in on resume prevents unauthorized viewing when a user walks away, while keeping applications open and the session intact. This directly addresses the need for an automatic screen lock after inactivity.
- B. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. The power button action does not control inactivity-based locking, and shutting down the system would close applications and sign users out. That is more disruptive than required and does not match the goal of quickly resuming work after re-authentication.
- C. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. User Account Control (UAC) is used to prompt for elevation or administrative approval when making protected system changes. It does not function as an inactivity-based screen lock mechanism.
- D. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. A UEFI/BIOS startup password helps protect a device during boot, but it does not secure an already logged-in Windows session when a user steps away from the desk. It also would not trigger after a few minutes of inactivity.