Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A legacy payroll server contains a critical vulnerability. The vendor says a patch is 45 days away, and the system must remain available for payroll processing. Which risk treatment is the best short-term choice?
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
Accept the risk until the patch arrives because the server is needed for payroll processing.
Acceptance may be appropriate only when leadership explicitly chooses to live with the risk after understanding the exposure. In this case, the vulnerability is critical and the server must stay online, so doing nothing leaves the business unnecessarily exposed. A temporary control is needed to reduce the chance of exploitation while the patch is unavailable.
B
Best answer
Mitigate the risk with compensating controls such as segmentation, restricted access, and monitoring.
Mitigation is the best short-term treatment because the server must remain available and the vendor cannot patch it yet. Compensating controls can reduce exposure by limiting who can reach the system, narrowing network paths, and improving detection. This lowers likelihood without shutting down payroll operations. It is the most practical choice when full remediation is delayed.
C
Distractor review
Avoid the risk by permanently decommissioning the server this week.
Avoidance means removing the risky activity entirely, but that would stop payroll processing and create an immediate business problem. Since the system must remain available, permanent decommissioning is not realistic as a short-term treatment. This option ignores operational requirements and would trade one major risk for another major disruption.
D
Distractor review
Transfer the risk by purchasing support coverage and waiting for the patch.
Transferring the risk does not meaningfully reduce the technical exposure of a vulnerable server. A support contract may help with vendor coordination, but it does not stop exploitation in the meantime. The business still needs a control that lowers the chance of compromise right away, which is why mitigation is better.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
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?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Mitigate the risk with compensating controls such as segmentation, restricted access, and monitoring. — Mitigation is the best treatment because the organization must keep the payroll server online, yet cannot patch it immediately. Compensating controls such as segmentation, strict allow-listing, limited administrative access, and stronger monitoring reduce exposure until the vendor fix is available. That approach preserves business operations while lowering practical risk, which is the core goal of sound risk treatment planning. Why others are wrong: Acceptance leaves a critical known vulnerability exposed without reducing the likelihood of compromise. Avoidance would shut down payroll and is not compatible with the business requirement. Transfer may help financially, but it does not reduce attack surface or stop exploitation. The organization needs a temporary risk reduction strategy, not just an administrative label.
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.