SY0-701 Security Architecture Practice Question
A company runs payroll and HR application servers on the same VLAN because a redesign is not possible this quarter. Security wants to reduce lateral movement if one workload is compromised, but the team cannot renumber the environment or add new physical firewalls. Which control best fits the requirement?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently assume VLAN segmentation is the only way to isolate workloads, but the question explicitly prevents renumbering or adding firewalls, so the correct answer leverages host-based or distributed firewall rules to achieve microsegmentation without changing the network topology.
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
✓
Implement microsegmentation with host-based or distributed firewall rules between workloads
Microsegmentation using host-based or distributed firewall rules (e.g., via a hypervisor firewall or host firewall policies) allows the security team to enforce zero-trust east-west traffic controls between the payroll and HR servers without changing the VLAN, subnet, or adding physical firewalls. This directly reduces lateral movement by restricting communication to only what is necessary, even though both workloads share the same Layer 2 broadcast domain.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Move the servers into a single larger subnet so internal routing is simplified
Why it's wrong here
Consolidating servers into a single larger subnet does not segment east-west traffic; it actually eliminates any existing Layer 3 boundary, thereby increasing the attack surface for lateral movement rather than reducing it. This approach is tempting because a larger subnet can simplify routing tables and reduce broadcast domain fragmentation, which would be correct if the goal were to improve network performance or reduce administrative overhead, not to contain a breach.
- ✓
Implement microsegmentation with host-based or distributed firewall rules between workloads
Why this is correct
Microsegmentation is the best fit when the organization cannot redesign the network but still needs to isolate workloads more tightly. Host-based or distributed firewall rules can restrict east-west traffic between individual servers, even when they share the same VLAN. That reduces lateral movement far better than coarse VLAN-only separation and does not require renumbering the environment.
- ✗
Place the servers behind a network address translation device to hide their IP addresses
Why it's wrong here
NAT can hide addressing details, but it does not provide meaningful internal segmentation or limit east-west access between the workloads. An attacker who compromises one host may still reach the other if no filtering exists.
- ✗
Rely on password rotation and MFA for administrative logins only
Why it's wrong here
Password rotation and MFA strengthen identity authentication, but they do not restrict network traffic between workloads. Even if an attacker cannot use stolen credentials directly, they could exploit a vulnerability in one server and then move laterally to another through unsegmented east-west paths. Microsegmentation enforces traffic rules independent of authentication state, making it the only option here that actually limits post-compromise movement.
Visual reference
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Firewall Types and Deployment
Key term
VLAN
A VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) is a logical grouping of network devices that behave as if they are on the same physical network segment, regardless of their actual physical location.
Key term
Subnet
A subnet is a logical subdivision of an IP network, created by partitioning a larger network address space using subnet masks.
About these practice questions
One of 1,013 original SY0-701 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.