- A
Permanently waive MFA for the scanner and leave the exception open-ended.
Why wrong: An open-ended waiver creates unnecessary long-term risk and does not show active governance or review.
- B
Approve a time-bound exception with compensating controls and a review date.
A time-bound exception allows the business to keep operating while security reduces risk through other controls such as network restriction, monitoring, or limited access. Adding a review date keeps the exception temporary and accountable, which is the best governance practice.
- C
Shut down the scanner immediately until MFA can be enabled.
Why wrong: Immediate shutdown may be too disruptive if the business depends on the scanner and a temporary, lower-risk path is available.
- D
Create a shared administrator account so operators can sign in more easily.
Why wrong: Shared accounts weaken accountability and make auditing harder. They do not solve the MFA limitation in a secure way.
SY0-701 Security Program Management and Oversight Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security program management and oversight. 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 legacy production scanner cannot support MFA, but it must remain available for six months until replacement hardware arrives. What is the best security 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
Approve a time-bound exception with compensating controls and a review date.
Option B is correct because it balances security with operational necessity by implementing a time-bound exception with compensating controls (e.g., network segmentation, strict access logging, or IP whitelisting) and a mandatory review date. This ensures the legacy scanner remains available for six months while mitigating the risk of unauthorized access, aligning with the principle of least privilege and security program oversight.
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.
- ✗
Permanently waive MFA for the scanner and leave the exception open-ended.
Why it's wrong here
An open-ended waiver creates unnecessary long-term risk and does not show active governance or review.
- ✓
Approve a time-bound exception with compensating controls and a review date.
Why this is correct
A time-bound exception allows the business to keep operating while security reduces risk through other controls such as network restriction, monitoring, or limited access. Adding a review date keeps the exception temporary and accountable, which is the best governance practice.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Shut down the scanner immediately until MFA can be enabled.
Why it's wrong here
Immediate shutdown may be too disruptive if the business depends on the scanner and a temporary, lower-risk path is available.
- ✗
Create a shared administrator account so operators can sign in more easily.
Why it's wrong here
Shared accounts weaken accountability and make auditing harder. They do not solve the MFA limitation in a secure way.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose Option C (immediate shutdown) thinking it is the only secure choice, but the question explicitly states the scanner must remain available, making a risk-accepted, time-bound exception with compensating controls the correct security program management response.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
An open-ended waiver creates unnecessary long-term risk and does not show active governance or review.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Compensating controls for legacy systems that cannot support MFA often include network access control lists (ACLs) to restrict source IPs, jump box usage with MFA for administrative access, and enhanced logging via syslog or SIEM to monitor all scanner activity. In a real-world scenario, the scanner might use a protocol like SMBv1 or FTP without encryption, so additional controls like VLAN isolation and TLS termination at a proxy can reduce exposure. The review date ensures the exception is revisited before the six-month deadline, preventing policy drift.
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 team runs a vulnerability scan on a web application and discovers an unpatched SQL injection flaw. The team prioritises remediation by CVSS score — critical flaws are patched within 24 hours, high within 7 days. Questions like this test whether you understand vulnerability management processes, scanning tools, and remediation prioritisation.
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: Approve a time-bound exception with compensating controls and a review date. — Option B is correct because it balances security with operational necessity by implementing a time-bound exception with compensating controls (e.g., network segmentation, strict access logging, or IP whitelisting) and a mandatory review date. This ensures the legacy scanner remains available for six months while mitigating the risk of unauthorized access, aligning with the principle of least privilege and security program oversight.
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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