- A
Create separate local usernames in the expense app and synchronize passwords weekly.
Why wrong: Separate local accounts increase administrative work and delay access removal instead of automating it.
- B
Implement federated single sign-on and automated user provisioning and deprovisioning.
Federation provides single sign-on with corporate credentials, and automated lifecycle sync removes access promptly when status changes.
- C
Require a VPN connection before users can open the expense app.
Why wrong: A VPN may protect traffic, but it does not solve identity federation or account lifecycle automation.
- D
Use a shared generic account for all employees and rotate the password monthly.
Why wrong: Shared accounts destroy accountability and make termination, auditing, and least-privilege enforcement much harder.
SY0-701 Security Architecture Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security architecture. 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.
A company uses a third-party expense application and wants employees to sign in with their corporate identity once, then automatically lose access in the expense app when they are terminated in the HR system. Which solution best meets both requirements?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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 federated single sign-on and automated user provisioning and deprovisioning.
Federated single sign-on (SSO) allows users to authenticate once using their corporate identity (e.g., via SAML or OIDC), and automated provisioning/deprovisioning (often via SCIM) ensures that when an employee is terminated in the HR system, their access to the expense app is automatically revoked. This meets both requirements: seamless sign-in and immediate loss of access upon termination.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create separate local usernames in the expense app and synchronize passwords weekly.
Why it's wrong here
Separate local accounts increase administrative work and delay access removal instead of automating it.
- ✓
Implement federated single sign-on and automated user provisioning and deprovisioning.
Why this is correct
Federation provides single sign-on with corporate credentials, and automated lifecycle sync removes access promptly when status changes.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Require a VPN connection before users can open the expense app.
Why it's wrong here
A VPN may protect traffic, but it does not solve identity federation or account lifecycle automation.
- ✗
Use a shared generic account for all employees and rotate the password monthly.
Why it's wrong here
Shared accounts destroy accountability and make termination, auditing, and least-privilege enforcement much harder.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think VPN or password synchronization provides adequate access control, but they fail to recognize that only federated SSO combined with automated provisioning/deprovisioning ensures both seamless authentication and immediate revocation tied to the corporate identity lifecycle.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Federated SSO typically uses SAML 2.0 or OpenID Connect to exchange identity assertions between an identity provider (IdP) and the expense app (service provider). Automated provisioning often relies on the SCIM 2.0 protocol (RFC 7644) to create, update, and delete user accounts in the target application in near real-time based on HR system events. In a real-world scenario, if the HR system triggers a 'termination' event, a SCIM DELETE or PATCH request can disable the user account in the expense app within seconds, preventing unauthorized access.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Security Architecture — This question tests Security Architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Implement federated single sign-on and automated user provisioning and deprovisioning. — Federated single sign-on (SSO) allows users to authenticate once using their corporate identity (e.g., via SAML or OIDC), and automated provisioning/deprovisioning (often via SCIM) ensures that when an employee is terminated in the HR system, their access to the expense app is automatically revoked. This meets both requirements: seamless sign-in and immediate loss of access upon termination.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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