SY0-701 General Security Concepts Practice Question
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?
⚠ Common exam trap
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.
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.
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
Defense in depth is a layered security strategy that combines multiple controls—such as firewalls, intrusion detection, antivirus, and physical security—to create overlapping barriers against attacks. It improves overall resilience by making it harder for a single failure to compromise the system, but it does not reduce the permissions granted to any individual. In this scenario, the support technicians still hold broad administrative rights regardless of how many defensive layers exist. The problem is over-provisioned access, and defense in depth does not address that; it only assumes broader threats are blocked by multiple independent mechanisms.
- ✓
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.
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Need-to-know
Why it's wrong here
Need-to-know restricts access to sensitive information based on whether a user requires specific data to perform a job function, typically in classified or confidential contexts. It focuses on data visibility and confidentiality, not on the scope of system privileges or administrative rights. The help desk technicians may legitimately need to know about many systems to troubleshoot issues, but that does not justify giving them full administrative control. Least privilege, by contrast, limits the actual permissions and capabilities assigned to an account, which is the more direct fix for this access-rights problem.
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Zero trust
Why it's wrong here
Zero trust is a comprehensive security model that assumes no implicit trust for any user, device, or network, and requires continuous verification through measures like MFA, device compliance checks, and microsegmentation. While zero trust often incorporates least privilege as a supporting principle, it is an overarching architectural approach rather than a specific rule for defining individual permissions. Applying zero trust might reduce some risk, but the immediate issue here is that technicians have excessive administrative rights; implementing least privilege directly solves that by granting only the permissions necessary for their daily tasks.
Visual reference
Quick reference
AAA Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port(s) | Encryption | Transport | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RADIUS | 1812 / 1813 | Password only | UDP | Network access control |
| TACACS+ | 49 | Full packet | TCP | Device administration |
| Diameter | 3868 | Full session | TCP / SCTP | Carrier / mobile networks |
| 802.1X | — | EAP-based | Layer 2 | Port-based access control |
TACACS+ encrypts the entire packet; RADIUS only encrypts the password field — a key exam distinction.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Security Controls
Key term
Incident
An incident is a security event that violates an organization's policies or threatens its data, systems, or operations, requiring a structured response.
Key term
Remote Authentication Dial-in User Service
RADIUS is a network protocol that provides centralized authentication, authorization, and accounting for users trying to connect to a network service.
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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.