The answer is a deny SGACL with a higher priority overriding the permit rule. This occurs because Cisco ISE enforces Security Group ACLs (SGACLs) in strict priority order, where a lower sequence number indicates higher priority. Even if a permit SGACL exists for traffic from SGT 10 to SGT 20, a deny SGACL with a higher priority (lower sequence number) that matches the same traffic will be evaluated first and cause the drop. On the Cisco SCOR 350-701 exam, this concept tests your understanding of SGACL evaluation logic and the common misconfiguration where engineers overlook conflicting rules with different sequence numbers. A frequent trap is assuming that a permit rule will always override a deny rule, but in Cisco ISE, priority—not rule type—determines precedence. Memory tip: think of it like a firewall ACL—lower sequence number wins, so a deny with seq 10 beats a permit with seq 20 every time.
350-701 Practice Question: Secure Network Access, Visibility and Enforcement
This 350-701 practice question tests your understanding of secure network access, visibility and enforcement. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A security engineer is configuring Cisco ISE to enforce SGT-based access control. The engineer creates an SGACL on the switch that permits traffic from SGT 10 to SGT 20. However, traffic from SGT 10 to SGT 20 is still being dropped. The engineer verifies that the SGTs are correctly assigned. What is a possible reason for the drop?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
There is a deny SGACL with a higher priority that matches the traffic
Option D is correct because Cisco ISE enforces SGT-based access control using Security Group ACLs (SGACLs) that are evaluated in priority order. Even if a permit SGACL exists for SGT 10 to SGT 20, a deny SGACL with a higher priority (lower sequence number) that matches the same traffic will take precedence and cause the traffic to be dropped. The engineer must check the full SGACL list and their sequence numbers on the switch to identify conflicting rules.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
SXP is not configured
Why it's wrong here
SXP distributes SGTs but does not affect SGACL enforcement.
✗
The CTRL protocol is not enabled
Why it's wrong here
CTRL is used for control plane communication, not for SGACL evaluation.
✗
The PAC on the switch is expired
Why it's wrong here
PAC is used for 802.1X authentication, not TrustSec.
✓
There is a deny SGACL with a higher priority that matches the traffic
Why this is correct
SGACLs are evaluated in order; a deny rule earlier in the list would override the permit rule.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the concept that SGACLs are processed in priority order (lowest sequence number first) and that a higher-priority deny rule can silently override a lower-priority permit rule, leading candidates to incorrectly assume the issue is with SGT assignment or protocol configuration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SGACLs are evaluated in ascending order of their sequence numbers (priority), and the first matching rule is applied. A common misconfiguration is having a deny SGACL with a lower sequence number (higher priority) that matches the same source/destination SGT pair, which overrides the intended permit rule. In real-world deployments, engineers often overlook the default implicit deny at the end of the SGACL list, but in this scenario, the explicit deny with higher priority is the specific cause.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Secure Network Access, Visibility and Enforcement — This question tests Secure Network Access, Visibility and Enforcement — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: There is a deny SGACL with a higher priority that matches the traffic — Option D is correct because Cisco ISE enforces SGT-based access control using Security Group ACLs (SGACLs) that are evaluated in priority order. Even if a permit SGACL exists for SGT 10 to SGT 20, a deny SGACL with a higher priority (lower sequence number) that matches the same traffic will take precedence and cause the traffic to be dropped. The engineer must check the full SGACL list and their sequence numbers on the switch to identify conflicting rules.
What should I do if I get this 350-701 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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