SY0-701 Security Operations Practice Question
A branch office's network closet has repeated unauthorized access issues after staff badge in and hold the door for others. Management wants a control that allows one person through after valid badge use and helps prevent tailgating. Which control is best?
⚠ Common exam trap
The SY0-701 exam often tests the distinction between preventive and detective controls, leading candidates to choose CCTV because it is a common security measure, even though it does not actively prevent tailgating.
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
✓
A mantrap, because it physically restricts entry to one person at a time.
A mantrap is a physical security control consisting of a small space with two interlocking doors, typically requiring authentication to enter and exit. It ensures that only one person can pass through at a time, effectively preventing tailgating by trapping unauthorized individuals between the doors if they attempt to follow an authorized user.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Closed-circuit television cameras, because they record the doorway for later review.
Why it's wrong here
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) is a detective control that records video for later review, helping investigators identify who may have tailgated after an incident occurs. However, it is not a preventive control: the camera cannot physically block a second person from entering, nor does it automatically alert security in real time unless monitored continuously. Simply capturing footage of an unauthorized entry does nothing to stop the breach from happening in the first place.
- ✓
A mantrap, because it physically restricts entry to one person at a time.
Why this is correct
A mantrap is a physical access control system consisting of a small vestibule with two interlocking doors, where only one door can open at a time. After the first door closes and locks, the individual must present valid credentials (e.g., badge or biometric) inside the booth before the second door releases, ensuring that only one authorized person passes through per cycle. This design inherently prevents tailgating by making it impossible for a second person to slip in with the first, directly addressing the repeated unauthorized access.
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A motion sensor, because it can detect movement inside the room.
Why it's wrong here
A motion sensor is a detection device that triggers an alarm or notification when it senses movement within its coverage area. It does not, however, have any access control capability: it cannot authenticate individuals, lock the door, or physically prevent someone from following an authorized person inside. Motion sensors can only raise awareness of an intruder who is already entering, leaving the unauthorized access to continue without interruption.
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A door closer, because it ensures the door automatically shuts after use.
Why it's wrong here
A door closer is a mechanical spring-loaded device that automatically pulls a door shut after each opening, helping to keep the door closed when not in use. It does not enforce any authentication or limit the number of people who can enter, and it has no effect while the door is ajar. If a perfectly legitimate employee opens the door, a tailgater can still walk in behind them without triggering any mechanism, so the door closer does not address the root cause of the repeated issue.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Identity and Access Management
Key term
Security control
A security control is a safeguard or countermeasure designed to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information systems and data.
Key term
Security
Security in IT is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access, damage, or theft.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SY0-701 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 SY0-701 exam.