Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A company uses four cloud applications and wants employees to sign in once with corporate credentials. The applications should trust the company’s identity platform, and disabling a user in the directory should remove access everywhere without separate password resets. Which architecture should the team implement?
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
Create separate local accounts in each cloud application and synchronize passwords manually.
Local accounts require separate lifecycle management in every application and make termination slower and more error-prone. Manual password synchronization also increases administrative work and weakens centralized control.
B
Best answer
Use federation with single sign-on through the corporate identity provider, such as SAML or OpenID Connect.
Federation with SSO lets the company authenticate users centrally while each cloud application trusts assertions from the identity provider. That supports one login experience, faster deprovisioning, and consistent enforcement of corporate authentication controls across all apps.
C
Distractor review
Configure RADIUS authentication directly on each cloud application so users can reuse one password.
RADIUS is commonly used for network access and some remote access workflows, but it is not the typical architecture for modern SaaS application federation. It also does not by itself provide the same broad SSO model described in the scenario.
D
Distractor review
Store one shared administrator password for all users in a password vault.
A shared account destroys accountability and violates least privilege. It also makes offboarding impossible to manage cleanly because access is not tied to individual identities or centralized policy enforcement.
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.
Related practice questions
Related SY0-701 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Security+ social engineering questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ social engineering questions.
Security+ cryptography practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ cryptography.
Security+ IAM questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ IAM questions.
Security+ risk management questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ risk management questions.
Security+ incident response questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ incident response questions.
Security+ malware questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ malware questions.
Security+ vulnerability management questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ vulnerability management questions.
Security+ security operations questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ security operations questions.
Security+ zero trust questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ zero trust questions.
Security+ authentication factors questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ authentication factors questions.
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: Use federation with single sign-on through the corporate identity provider, such as SAML or OpenID Connect. — Federated single sign-on is the best fit because the company wants one corporate identity to be accepted by multiple cloud applications. With SAML or OpenID Connect, the applications trust the corporate identity provider instead of maintaining separate user databases. That means user provisioning, MFA enforcement, and termination decisions can be handled centrally, which improves security and reduces administrative overhead. Why others are wrong: Separate local accounts force duplicate administration and slow deprovisioning. RADIUS is not the normal choice for SaaS federation in this use case. A shared administrator password removes individual accountability, creates major audit problems, and is far less secure than identity-based federation.
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.
Discussion
Loading comments…
Sign in to join the discussion.