FC0-U71 Security Practice Question
A user is creating a new password for an online banking account. The bank requires a minimum of 12 characters and recommends using a passphrase. Which of the following passwords BEST follows current security best practices?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is believing that adding symbols and numbers to a common word automatically makes a password strong.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
correcthorsebatterystaple
The best password is a long, random passphrase that is easy to remember but hard to guess. Length and unpredictability matter more than complexity. Common patterns, service names, and keyboard walks are easily cracked, so a multi-word passphrase is the strongest option here.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Banking2024!
Why it's wrong here
This password includes the service name and a common year, making it predictable. Attackers often try combinations of words related to the target and current years. Although it meets the length and complexity requirements, it is easily guessed and does not follow best practices for a high-value account like online banking.
- ✗
P@ssw0rd123!
Why it's wrong here
This password meets length and complexity requirements but is a common, well-known pattern that appears in every password-cracking dictionary. Attackers use rule-based mangling to try such variations first, so it would be compromised quickly despite looking complex. It is not a strong choice for a banking account.
- ✗
qwertyuiopas
Why it's wrong here
This is a simple keyboard pattern, which is one of the first things attackers try. It is 12 characters but provides almost no entropy because the sequence is well known. It would be cracked instantly by any password-cracking tool that includes keyboard walks, so it is a poor choice for protecting financial data.
- ✓
correcthorsebatterystaple
Why this is correct
A long passphrase of four random words is easy to remember and highly resistant to brute-force and dictionary attacks because of its length and unpredictability. Current guidance from NIST and security experts favors length over complexity, and this passphrase exceeds the 12-character minimum while avoiding common substitutions.
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Courseiva writes every FC0-U71 question from scratch — 988 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This FC0-U71 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the FC0-U71 exam.