IT Administrator Quiz - Basic Level

IT Administrator Quiz - Basic Level - Part 1

For better understanding through knowledge, providing a 12-question Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) quiz designed for an IT administrator, focusing on basic scenarios that reflect common tasks and challenges in IT administration. Each question includes a simple scenario to provide context, and the questions cover fundamental topics like network management, user account security, backups, and system maintenance.

This quiz tests foundational IT administration skills through practical scenarios. Each question has four options, with one correct answer to assess or reinforce knowledge of common IT admin tasks. The correct answers, along with explanations for why other options are incorrect, are provided after the quiz.

Question 1

Scenario: You’re an IT admin at a small business. A new employee needs a computer account, and you’re setting it up in the company’s Windows Active Directory. You want to follow security best practices.

What should you do when creating the new user account?
a) Give the user administrative privileges to simplify setup.
b) Set a temporary password and require a password change at first login.
c) Use the same password as other employees for consistency.
d) Disable the account until the employee’s first day.

Question 2

Scenario: Your company’s network is slowing down, and users report they can’t access the internet. You suspect an issue with IP address assignments, as new devices were recently added.

Which service should you check to ensure devices are getting IP addresses correctly?
a) DNS
b) DHCP
c) FTP
d) SMTP

Question 3

Scenario: A user reports they can’t access a shared folder on the company server. You check and find their account lacks the necessary permissions.

What’s the best way to grant access to the shared folder?
a) Make the user a server administrator.
b) Add the user to a security group with folder access.
c) Share the folder publicly with no restrictions.
d) Create a new folder for the user only.

Question 4

Scenario: Your manager asks you to protect the company’s data by setting up regular backups. You need to choose a backup type that saves all data every time to ensure easy recovery.

Which backup type should you use?
a) Incremental backup
b) Differential backup
c) Full backup
d) Mirror backup

Question 5

Scenario: You receive an alert that a server’s disk space is almost full, causing performance issues. You need to free up space quickly without deleting critical data.

What’s the first step you should take?
a) Delete old user accounts.
b) Clear temporary files and logs.
c) Upgrade the server’s hardware.
d) Move all data to another server.

Question 6

Scenario: A user accidentally deleted an important file from a network drive. You have a backup system in place and need to restore the file.

What should you do to restore the deleted file?
a) Reinstall the server’s operating system.
b) Access the most recent backup and restore the file.
c) Ask the user to recreate the file.
d) Disable the network drive to prevent further deletions.

Question 7

Scenario: Your company’s firewall is blocking legitimate traffic from a new application, causing it to fail. You need to allow the application to work without compromising security.

What should you do?
a) Disable the firewall completely.
b) Create a firewall rule to allow the application’s specific ports.
c) Replace the firewall with a new one.
d) Uninstall the application and find an alternative.

Question 8

Scenario: You’re tasked with updating software on company computers to fix security vulnerabilities. Some users are reluctant to install updates due to workflow disruptions.

What’s the best approach to ensure updates are applied?
a) Ignore the updates to avoid upsetting users.
b) Schedule updates during off-hours with user notifications.
c) Remove user admin rights to force updates.
d) Update only the IT team’s computers.

Question 9

Scenario: A user’s account is locked out after multiple failed login attempts, and they need access urgently. You suspect someone tried to guess their password.

What should you do to resolve this securely?
a) Unlock the account and reset the password to a simple one.
b) Unlock the account, reset the password, and enable multi-factor authentication.
c) Create a new account for the user.
d) Ignore the lockout and wait for it to expire.

Question 10

Scenario: Your company is setting up a new wireless network for employees. You need to ensure the Wi-Fi is secure to prevent unauthorized access.

Which security protocol should you use for the Wi-Fi network?
a) WEP
b) WPA2
c) WPA3
d) No encryption

Question 11

Scenario: You’re monitoring network performance and notice high latency when users access a web application hosted on a company server. You suspect a network issue.

Which tool should you use to analyze network traffic and diagnose the problem?
a) Microsoft Excel
b) Notepad
c) Wireshark
d) Adobe Acrobat

Question 12

Scenario: A department head requests that all employees in their team receive the same software settings and restrictions on their computers. You use Windows Group Policy to manage configurations.

What’s the best way to apply these settings to the team?
a) Manually configure each computer.
b) Create a Group Policy Object (GPO) and apply it to the team’s organizational unit.
c) Install the software on a single computer and copy it to others.
d) Ask users to configure their own settings.

Correct Answers and Explanations

Correct Answers

Explanations

Question 1: Correct Answer: b) Set a temporary password and require a password change at first login.

Why b? This ensures the user gets a unique, secure password they choose, reducing the risk of unauthorized access while following security best practices.
Why not a? Giving administrative privileges violates the least privilege principle, increasing security risks.
Why not c? Using the same password for multiple accounts makes it easier for attackers to compromise multiple users.
Why not d? Disabling the account delays the employee’s start and isn’t necessary if the account is secured properly.

Question 2: Correct Answer: b) DHCP

Why b? DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) assigns IP addresses to devices automatically, and issues with it can cause network slowdowns or connectivity problems.
Why not a? DNS resolves domain names to IP addresses, not assigns them.
Why not c? FTP is for file transfers, unrelated to IP assignment.
Why not d? SMTP is for email delivery, not network configuration.

Question 3: Correct Answer: b) Add the user to a security group with folder access.

Why b? Using security groups simplifies access management and follows best practices for scalable, secure permission assignments.
Why not a? Making the user a server admin grants excessive privileges, risking system security.
Why not c? Public sharing removes access controls, exposing sensitive data.
Why not d? Creating a new folder is inefficient and doesn’t address team collaboration needs.

Question 4: Correct Answer: c) Full backup

Why c? A full backup saves all data each time, making recovery straightforward and reliable, ideal for critical data protection.
Why not a? Incremental backups only save changes since the last backup, requiring multiple backups for full recovery.
Why not b? Differential backups save changes since the last full backup, but still need the full backup for restoration.
Why not d? Mirror backups create an exact copy but aren’t a standard backup type for scheduled data protection.

Question 5: Correct Answer: b) Clear temporary files and logs.

Why b? Temporary files and logs often consume significant space and can be safely deleted to free up disk space quickly without affecting critical data.
Why not a? Deleting user accounts risks losing important data or access.
Why not c? Upgrading hardware is costly and doesn’t address immediate space issues.
Why not d? Moving all data is time-consuming and unnecessary for a quick fix.

Question 6: Correct Answer: b) Access the most recent backup and restore the file.

Why b? Restoring from a recent backup is the standard way to recover a deleted file efficiently and accurately.
Why not a? Reinstalling the OS is drastic, time-consuming, and doesn’t recover the file.
Why not c? Recreating the file is inefficient and may not be possible if the data was unique.
Why not d? Disabling the drive doesn’t recover the file and disrupts other users.

Question 7: Correct Answer: b) Create a firewall rule to allow the application’s specific ports.

Why b? A targeted firewall rule allows the application’s traffic while maintaining overall security, balancing functionality and protection.
Why not a? Disabling the firewall exposes the network to attacks.
Why not c? Replacing the firewall is unnecessary and costly when a rule can solve the issue.
Why not d? Uninstalling the application avoids the problem but doesn’t meet user needs.

Question 8: Correct Answer: b) Schedule updates during off-hours with user notifications.

Why b? Scheduling updates minimizes disruption and ensures security patches are applied, with notifications keeping users informed.
Why not a? Ignoring updates leaves systems vulnerable to attacks.
Why not c? Removing admin rights may not force updates and could disrupt user tasks.
Why not d? Updating only IT computers leaves other systems at risk.

Question 9: Correct Answer: b) Unlock the account, reset the password, and enable multi-factor authentication.

Why b? Unlocking and resetting the password restores access, while MFA adds security to prevent future unauthorized attempts.
Why not a? A simple password is easily compromised, especially after a suspected attack.
Why not c? Creating a new account is unnecessary and complicates account management.
Why not d? Waiting for the lockout to expire delays the user’s work and doesn’t address security concerns.

Question 10: Correct Answer: c) WPA3

Why c? WPA3 is the latest and most secure Wi-Fi protocol, offering strong encryption to prevent unauthorized access.
Why not a? WEP is outdated and easily hacked, unsuitable for modern networks.
Why not b? WPA2 is secure but less advanced than WPA3, which provides better protection.
Why not d? No encryption leaves the network completely vulnerable.

Question 11: Correct Answer: c) Wireshark

Why c? Wireshark is a network analysis tool that captures and examines traffic to diagnose latency or other issues.
Why not a? Excel is for spreadsheets, not network analysis.
Why not b? Notepad is a text editor, useless for traffic analysis.
Why not d? Acrobat is for PDFs, not network troubleshooting.

Question 12: Correct Answer: b) Create a Group Policy Object (GPO) and apply it to the team’s organizational unit.

Why b? A GPO efficiently applies consistent settings across multiple computers in an organizational unit, streamlining management.
Why not a? Manual configuration is time-consuming and error-prone.
Why not c? Copying software doesn’t apply settings or restrictions.
Why not d? User-configured settings lead to inconsistencies and non-compliance.

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