Question 1,046 of 1,152

General Security Concepts →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is the principle of least privilege. This is correct because least privilege dictates that users should be granted only the minimum permissions necessary to perform their job functions, directly limiting the blast radius if an account is compromised. In this scenario, broad administrator access across all departments would be replaced with role-specific permissions, preventing an attacker from moving laterally to other systems after a phishing incident. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this concept often appears in questions about access control models, account management, and incident containment, with a common trap being the assumption that operational efficiency justifies excessive permissions. A strong memory tip is to think of least privilege as a "security diet"—just enough access to do the job, with no extra permissions that could be abused.

SY0-701 General Security Concepts Practice Question

This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of general security concepts. 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 help desk lead notices that several support technicians have broad administrator access across every department's systems so they can resolve tickets faster. After a phishing incident, management wants to reduce the damage if one technician account is compromised. What is the best security principle to apply when redesigning access?

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.

Question 1mediummultiple choice

Full question →

A
Defense in depth
Why wrong: Layering multiple controls helps overall resilience, but it does not directly limit each technician's permissions.
B
Least privilege
Least privilege means each user receives only the access required to perform assigned duties. Reducing broad administrative rights lowers the impact of credential theft, malware, or accidental misuse. It is especially effective for support staff because their daily tasks usually need access to a limited set of systems rather than full administrative control across the environment.
C
Need-to-know
Why wrong: Need-to-know limits access to information based on job necessity, but the scenario emphasizes system privileges more than data visibility.
D
Zero trust
Why wrong: Zero trust is a broader model that assumes no implicit trust, but the most direct fix in this access-rights scenario is minimizing permissions.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

Least privilege

The principle of least privilege dictates that users should be granted only the minimum permissions necessary to perform their job functions. By applying least privilege, each technician would receive access only to the specific systems and resources required for their role, rather than broad administrator access across all departments. This containment directly limits the blast radius of a compromised account, preventing an attacker from moving laterally to other departmental systems.

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.

✗
Defense in depth
Why it's wrong here
Layering multiple controls helps overall resilience, but it does not directly limit each technician's permissions.
✓
Least privilege
Why this is correct
Least privilege means each user receives only the access required to perform assigned duties. Reducing broad administrative rights lowers the impact of credential theft, malware, or accidental misuse. It is especially effective for support staff because their daily tasks usually need access to a limited set of systems rather than full administrative control across the environment.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Need-to-know
Why it's wrong here
Need-to-know limits access to information based on job necessity, but the scenario emphasizes system privileges more than data visibility.
✗
Zero trust
Why it's wrong here
Zero trust is a broader model that assumes no implicit trust, but the most direct fix in this access-rights scenario is minimizing permissions.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

CompTIA often tests the distinction between least privilege and need-to-know, where candidates mistakenly choose need-to-know because it sounds similar, but least privilege is the correct principle for limiting system-level access rights and permissions.

Trap categories for this question

Scenario analysis trap
Need-to-know limits access to information based on job necessity, but the scenario emphasizes system privileges more than data visibility.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Least privilege is enforced through Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) or Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC), where permissions are assigned to roles or attributes rather than directly to users. In Windows environments, this can be implemented using Group Policy with restricted groups or via Active Directory security groups that grant only specific administrative rights (e.g., delegating 'Reset Password' without full domain admin). A real-world scenario is the use of 'just enough administration' (JEA) in PowerShell to limit cmdlets available to help desk staff, reducing the attack surface even if credentials are stolen.

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

An employee at a financial services firm receives an email that appears to come from the IT helpdesk, asking them to reset their password via a link. The link leads to a convincing fake portal that harvests credentials. Security teams use phishing simulations and security-awareness training to reduce this attack vector. Questions like this test whether you can identify social engineering techniques and appropriate controls.

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?

General Security Concepts — This question tests General Security Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Least privilege — The principle of least privilege dictates that users should be granted only the minimum permissions necessary to perform their job functions. By applying least privilege, each technician would receive access only to the specific systems and resources required for their role, rather than broad administrator access across all departments. This containment directly limits the blast radius of a compromised account, preventing an attacker from moving laterally to other departmental systems.

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.

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