- A
Share the spreadsheet, because the request is from another employee inside the company.
Why wrong: Being inside the company does not automatically make all personal data shareable.
- B
Confirm the requester is authorized and only provide the minimum personal data allowed by policy.
The best response is to verify authorization and limit the data shared to the minimum needed. Privacy and data-handling rules often restrict personal information such as home addresses and personal phone numbers. Even internal requests should follow approved business purpose, least privilege, and data minimization principles before any disclosure occurs.
- C
Email the full spreadsheet, because internal data is not protected by privacy rules.
Why wrong: Internal data can still be sensitive and subject to privacy, HR, and policy restrictions.
- D
Delete the spreadsheet immediately so the information cannot be misused.
Why wrong: Deleting data is not the correct first response when a legitimate business need may exist.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to confirm the requester is authorized and only provide the minimum personal data allowed by policy. This response directly applies the data minimization principle, which requires limiting data collection and sharing to only what is necessary for a specific, stated purpose, alongside the principle of least privilege to ensure access is granted only after verified authorization. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of privacy and security program management, often appearing in questions about internal data requests or compliance with regulations like GDPR and CCPA. A common trap is assuming internal requests are automatically safe, but the exam emphasizes that even coworkers must be vetted, and sharing full home addresses for a contact list violates data minimization. Remember the memory tip: “Need to know, need to show”—only share data if the requester has a verified need and you have policy approval to show the minimum.
SY0-701 Security Program Management and Oversight Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security program management and oversight. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 coworker asks for a spreadsheet containing employee home addresses and personal phone numbers so they can build a team contact list. What is the best response?
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
Confirm the requester is authorized and only provide the minimum personal data allowed by policy.
Option B is correct because it aligns with the principle of least privilege and data minimization, which are core to security program management. Even internal requests must be verified for authorization, and only the minimum personal data required for the stated purpose should be shared, as per organizational policy and privacy regulations like GDPR or CCPA.
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.
- ✗
Share the spreadsheet, because the request is from another employee inside the company.
Why it's wrong here
Being inside the company does not automatically make all personal data shareable.
- ✓
Confirm the requester is authorized and only provide the minimum personal data allowed by policy.
Why this is correct
The best response is to verify authorization and limit the data shared to the minimum needed. Privacy and data-handling rules often restrict personal information such as home addresses and personal phone numbers. Even internal requests should follow approved business purpose, least privilege, and data minimization principles before any disclosure occurs.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Email the full spreadsheet, because internal data is not protected by privacy rules.
Why it's wrong here
Internal data can still be sensitive and subject to privacy, HR, and policy restrictions.
- ✗
Delete the spreadsheet immediately so the information cannot be misused.
Why it's wrong here
Deleting data is not the correct first response when a legitimate business need may exist.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may assume internal requests are automatically safe, ignoring the need for authorization and data minimization, which is a common misconception tested in SY0-701.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, this scenario involves role-based access control (RBAC) and data classification. The spreadsheet likely contains personally identifiable information (PII) that should be classified as 'Confidential' or 'Restricted' under a data classification policy. Access should be granted only after verifying the requester's role and need-to-know, and the data should be shared via a secure method (e.g., encrypted email or a controlled sharepoint link) rather than an unencrypted email attachment. Real-world breaches often occur when employees share PII without authorization, leading to fines and reputational damage.
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 SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
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 Program Management and Oversight — This question tests Security Program Management and Oversight — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Confirm the requester is authorized and only provide the minimum personal data allowed by policy. — Option B is correct because it aligns with the principle of least privilege and data minimization, which are core to security program management. Even internal requests must be verified for authorization, and only the minimum personal data required for the stated purpose should be shared, as per organizational policy and privacy regulations like GDPR or CCPA.
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
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.
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