Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A branch office stores nightly backups on a NAS that is joined to the same Active Directory domain as the production servers. After a ransomware incident, management wants a backup design that is much harder for attackers to encrypt or delete. Which approach is the best improvement?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
Increase the backup frequency to every hour while keeping the same NAS design.
More frequent backups help recovery points, but they do not protect the backups from domain compromise.
B
Distractor review
Store all backups on the same network segment for faster restore access.
Keeping backups close to production increases the chance that ransomware reaches them too.
C
Best answer
Maintain an offline or immutable backup copy in a separate administrative boundary.
Offline or immutable backups resist tampering and remain available even if the production domain is compromised.
D
Distractor review
Use only snapshots on the production storage array because they are instant to restore.
Snapshots can still be deleted or encrypted if the attacker gains storage administration access.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Authentication checks who the user is.
- Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
- Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
- AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
- Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
- Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
- Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A laptop is suspected of being used in a malware incident. It is still powered on and connected to Wi-Fi. What should the responder do before shutting it down?
Question 2
An employee reports a ransomware note on a file server. The server is still powered on, shares are still being accessed, and management wants service restored as quickly as possible. What should the incident response team do first?
Question 3
An employee reports a ransomware note on a finance laptop. The laptop is still powered on, connected to Wi-Fi, and the user says they were just working in a spreadsheet. Management wants the fastest safe response that also preserves evidence. What should the responder do first?
Question 4
You are handed a company laptop suspected in an insider theft case. Legal says the evidence may be needed in court. Which action best preserves admissibility?
Question 5
A developer wants to reduce the risk of SQL injection in a new customer search form. Which two changes are the best mitigations? Select two.
Question 6
A branch office uses a flat LAN, and a compromise on one user workstation could spread quickly to finance systems. Management wants finance workstations isolated from general users, but finance staff still need access to a central finance application and network printer. What is the best design change?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Authentication checks who the user is.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Maintain an offline or immutable backup copy in a separate administrative boundary. — An offline or immutable backup copy in a separate administrative boundary is the strongest improvement because it protects recovery data from the same credentials, malware, and management plane used in the production environment. If ransomware compromises the domain, a connected NAS is still vulnerable. A protected copy gives the organization a reliable recovery path even when online systems are impacted or intentionally altered by an attacker. Why others are wrong: Increasing frequency helps reduce data loss but does not make the backup repository safer. Keeping backups on the same segment makes exposure worse. Snapshots are useful for convenience, but they are not a substitute for isolated backup copies, because privileged attackers may still delete or corrupt them.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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