200-901 Application Deployment and Security Practice Question
This 200-901 practice question tests your understanding of application deployment and security. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
During a CI/CD pipeline, a security scan reveals that a Docker image contains a vulnerability in a base layer. Which action BEST addresses the issue?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Rebuild the image using an updated base image from a trusted registry.
Option B is correct because the vulnerability exists in the base layer of the Docker image, which is immutable once built. The only way to eliminate the vulnerability is to rebuild the image using an updated base image from a trusted registry (e.g., Docker Hub official images or a private registry with patched images). This ensures the vulnerable packages are replaced with patched versions at the OS or application level, directly addressing the root cause.
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.
✗
Disable the security scanner to avoid false positives.
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring vulnerabilities is not a security best practice.
✓
Rebuild the image using an updated base image from a trusted registry.
Why this is correct
Fixes the vulnerability by updating the base image.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Implement run-time security monitoring to detect exploitation.
Why it's wrong here
Monitors but does not remove the vulnerability.
✗
Add an exception to the vulnerability report.
Why it's wrong here
Does not address the underlying vulnerability.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between detection/monitoring (options C and D) and actual remediation (option B), trapping candidates who think run-time monitoring or ignoring the report is sufficient to address a build-time vulnerability.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Docker images are built in layers, and the base layer (e.g., Ubuntu 20.04 or Alpine 3.14) contains system packages like OpenSSL or libc. When a CVE is disclosed for a package in that base layer, the vulnerability persists in all derived images until the base image is rebuilt with the patched version (e.g., `apt-get update && apt-get upgrade`). Tools like Trivy or Snyk scan these layers by comparing package versions against CVE databases; rebuilding with an updated base image changes the layer hash, effectively replacing the vulnerable layer. In a CI/CD pipeline, this is typically automated by triggering a rebuild when a new base image is published, using `FROM` directives with specific SHA256 digests for immutability.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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.
Application Deployment and Security — This question tests Application Deployment and Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Rebuild the image using an updated base image from a trusted registry. — Option B is correct because the vulnerability exists in the base layer of the Docker image, which is immutable once built. The only way to eliminate the vulnerability is to rebuild the image using an updated base image from a trusted registry (e.g., Docker Hub official images or a private registry with patched images). This ensures the vulnerable packages are replaced with patched versions at the OS or application level, directly addressing the root cause.
What should I do if I get this 200-901 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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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