Quick Answer
The correct answer is to notify the client and request a scope change, as this aligns with professional ethics and legal boundaries in penetration testing. When you discover out-of-scope vulnerable legacy systems during an engagement, the agreed scope defines the legal and contractual limits of your testing; proceeding without authorization violates those terms and could lead to legal liability or system damage. On the CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-002 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of scope management and the tester’s responsibility to communicate findings responsibly without exceeding boundaries. A common trap is assuming you should test or even passively monitor the legacy systems because they are vulnerable, but any action—including passive monitoring—can be considered testing without explicit permission. Remember the memory tip: “Scope is a fence, not a suggestion—notify, don’t notify.”
This PT0-002 practice question tests your understanding of planning and scoping. 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.
During scoping, a client asks the tester to avoid a specific IP range containing legacy systems. The tester discovers these systems are vulnerable but out of scope. What should the tester do?
Passively monitor traffic without active exploitation
Why wrong: May still be considered testing without permission.
Ignore the legacy systems and continue as agreed
Why wrong: Ignores a potential critical vulnerability.
Notify the client and request a scope change
Professional approach to handle out-of-scope vulnerabilities.
Exploit the legacy systems and include them in the report
Why wrong: Violates the agreed scope.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Notify the client and request a scope change
Option C is correct because the tester should notify the client and request a scope change before testing out-of-scope systems. Option A is wrong because it violates the agreed scope. Option B is wrong because ignoring a critical vulnerability is not best practice. Option D is wrong because passive monitoring may still be considered testing.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Passively monitor traffic without active exploitation
Why it's wrong here
May still be considered testing without permission.
Ignore the legacy systems and continue as agreed
Why it's wrong here
Ignores a potential critical vulnerability.
Notify the client and request a scope change
Why this is correct
Professional approach to handle out-of-scope vulnerabilities.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Exploit the legacy systems and include them in the report
Why it's wrong here
Violates the agreed scope.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A security team runs a vulnerability scan on a web application and discovers an unpatched SQL injection flaw. The team prioritises remediation by CVSS score — critical flaws are patched within 24 hours, high within 7 days. Questions like this test whether you understand vulnerability management processes, scanning tools, and remediation prioritisation.
What to study next
Identify which PT0-002 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Planning and Scoping — study guide chapter
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Planning and Scoping practice questions
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FAQ
Planning and Scoping — This question tests Planning and Scoping — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Notify the client and request a scope change — Option C is correct because the tester should notify the client and request a scope change before testing out-of-scope systems. Option A is wrong because it violates the agreed scope. Option B is wrong because ignoring a critical vulnerability is not best practice. Option D is wrong because passive monitoring may still be considered testing.
Identify which PT0-002 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 23, 2026
This PT0-002 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 PT0-002 exam.
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