The answer is that the corporate device authorization rule is placed above the guest rule in the policy set, causing guest devices to match the corporate rule first. Cisco ISE authorization policies are evaluated top-down, and the first matching rule is applied, so if the corporate rule’s conditions—such as identity group or posture status—are not restrictive enough, a guest device can satisfy them and receive full access instead of the intended limited access. On the Cisco SCOR / CCNP Security Core 350-701 exam, this tests your understanding of ISE policy order and condition specificity; a common trap is assuming posture checks alone will block guests, when a broad identity group match can override that. Remember the memory tip: “First match wins—if your corporate rule is too loose, guests will slip through.”
350-701 Network Security Practice Question
This 350-701 practice question tests your understanding of network security. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 implementing Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) for 802.1X authentication. The requirement is to allow full network access for corporate devices that pass posture assessment, while providing limited access for guest devices. The engineer configures an authorization policy with conditions based on identity group and posture status. However, guest devices are still getting full access. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The authorization rule for corporate devices is placed above the guest rule, and guest devices are matching the corporate rule first
Cisco ISE authorization policies are evaluated in top-down order, and the first matching rule is applied. If the corporate device rule is placed above the guest rule, guest devices that do not meet the posture condition may still match the corporate rule if the condition is not restrictive enough (e.g., if the identity group condition is broad or the posture check is not enforced as a required match). This results in guest devices receiving full access instead of the intended limited access.
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.
✗
The guest devices are not passing the certificate validation
Why it's wrong here
Certificate validation affects authentication, not the order of authorization policies.
✓
The authorization rule for corporate devices is placed above the guest rule, and guest devices are matching the corporate rule first
Why this is correct
ISE uses first-match; if guest devices match an earlier rule, they get the associated permissions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
MAC Authentication Bypass (MAB) is not enabled for the guest devices
Why it's wrong here
MAB is an authentication method, not directly related to authorization policy order.
✗
The RADIUS attributes for dACL are not being sent correctly
Why it's wrong here
dACL issues would affect enforcement, not policy matching order.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the concept that authorization rules are processed top-down and that a less specific rule placed above a more specific rule can cause unintended matches, leading candidates to overlook the importance of rule ordering and condition specificity.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Cisco ISE, authorization policies use a priority-based evaluation model where the first rule with all conditions satisfied is applied. A common misconfiguration is to use a condition like 'IdentityGroup:Corporate AND PostureStatus:Compliant' for the corporate rule, but if the posture condition is not enforced (e.g., set to 'Optional' or omitted), guest devices that are not in the corporate group may still match if the identity group condition is too broad (e.g., using 'Any'). Real-world scenarios often involve guest devices that are not posture-checked, so the corporate rule must explicitly require both identity group and posture compliance to prevent guest devices from matching.
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.
Network Security — This question tests Network Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The authorization rule for corporate devices is placed above the guest rule, and guest devices are matching the corporate rule first — Cisco ISE authorization policies are evaluated in top-down order, and the first matching rule is applied. If the corporate device rule is placed above the guest rule, guest devices that do not meet the posture condition may still match the corporate rule if the condition is not restrictive enough (e.g., if the identity group condition is broad or the posture check is not enforced as a required match). This results in guest devices receiving full access instead of the intended limited access.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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