- A
Grant the technician full control of the entire file server for one day.
Why wrong: Full control gives more access than needed and increases risk. Least privilege means giving only the access required for the specific task.
- B
Give the technician read-only access to the single shared folder needed for the ticket.
Least privilege means granting only the minimum access needed to complete the task. Read-only access to one specific folder supports troubleshooting without exposing unrelated files or administrative functions.
- C
Add the technician to the domain admins group until the issue is resolved.
Why wrong: Domain admin access is far beyond what is needed for reading one folder. It creates unnecessary risk and violates the least privilege principle.
- D
Allow the technician to use any account in the department for convenience.
Why wrong: Shared or broad account access removes accountability and usually expands permissions unnecessarily. Least privilege requires access to be limited and traceable to the assigned user.
Quick Answer
The correct choice is to give the technician read-only access to the single shared folder needed for the ticket. This follows the principle of least privilege by granting only the minimal permissions—read-only—to the exact resource required for the task, which is a single shared folder, and for a limited duration tied to the ticket. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this concept tests your understanding of access control models and how to apply them in real-world scenarios like temporary troubleshooting. A common trap is choosing broader permissions, such as modify or access to multiple folders, which violates least privilege by increasing the attack surface. Remember the memory tip: “One folder, one ticket, read-only—that’s the least privilege ticket.”
SY0-701 General Security Concepts Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of general security concepts. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 technician needs temporary access to read one shared folder to troubleshoot a printer issue. Which access choice best follows least privilege?
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.
Clue:
"least"Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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
Give the technician read-only access to the single shared folder needed for the ticket.
Option B is correct because it grants the technician only the minimum permissions (read-only) to the specific resource (single shared folder) required to troubleshoot the printer issue. This adheres to the principle of least privilege by limiting access scope and duration, reducing the risk of unauthorized changes or data exposure.
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.
- ✗
Grant the technician full control of the entire file server for one day.
Why it's wrong here
Full control gives more access than needed and increases risk. Least privilege means giving only the access required for the specific task.
- ✓
Give the technician read-only access to the single shared folder needed for the ticket.
Why this is correct
Least privilege means granting only the minimum access needed to complete the task. Read-only access to one specific folder supports troubleshooting without exposing unrelated files or administrative functions.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Add the technician to the domain admins group until the issue is resolved.
Why it's wrong here
Domain admin access is far beyond what is needed for reading one folder. It creates unnecessary risk and violates the least privilege principle.
- ✗
Allow the technician to use any account in the department for convenience.
Why it's wrong here
Shared or broad account access removes accountability and usually expands permissions unnecessarily. Least privilege requires access to be limited and traceable to the assigned user.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'temporary access' with 'elevated privileges' (like Domain Admins) instead of recognizing that the least privilege principle requires the minimal permission (read-only) to the minimal resource (single folder), not broad administrative roles.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Windows shared folder permissions use NTFS and share-level ACLs; read-only access (RX) on the specific folder prevents writes while allowing enumeration and file reads needed for troubleshooting. In a real-world scenario, a printer spooler issue might require inspecting driver files or logs in a single folder, and granting read-only via a security group with a time-limited membership ensures compliance with audit policies (e.g., via Group Policy or Azure AD PIM).
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?
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: Give the technician read-only access to the single shared folder needed for the ticket. — Option B is correct because it grants the technician only the minimum permissions (read-only) to the specific resource (single shared folder) required to troubleshoot the printer issue. This adheres to the principle of least privilege by limiting access scope and duration, reducing the risk of unauthorized changes or data exposure.
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", "least". 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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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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