- A
Hash the contract and email the hash value separately.
Why wrong: A hash can help detect tampering, but it does not provide confidentiality or prove authorship by itself.
- B
Encrypt the file with the recipient's public key and sign it with the sender's private key.
Using the recipient's public key ensures only the intended recipient can decrypt the file, which provides confidentiality. Adding a digital signature with the sender's private key gives the partner a way to verify the file came from your company and has not been altered. Together, these controls address both privacy and authenticity, which is exactly what the scenario requires.
- C
Use a shared symmetric key and send the key in the same email message.
Why wrong: A shared key can encrypt data, but sending it in the same message defeats the protection and creates obvious exposure.
- D
Compress the file and password-protect the archive with a simple passphrase.
Why wrong: Password protection is weaker than proper public key encryption and does not provide strong, verifiable origin assurance.
SY0-701 General Security Concepts Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of general security concepts. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 legal team must send a confidential contract to a partner so only the intended recipient can read it, and the partner also needs assurance the file really came from your company. Which approach best meets both needs?
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
Encrypt the file with the recipient's public key and sign it with the sender's private key.
Option B is correct because it uses asymmetric encryption to ensure confidentiality (encrypting with the recipient's public key ensures only the intended recipient can decrypt it with their private key) and digital signing (signing with the sender's private key provides non-repudiation and authenticity, proving the file came from the sender). This combination directly addresses both requirements: only the partner can read the contract, and the partner can verify the sender's identity.
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.
- ✗
Hash the contract and email the hash value separately.
Why it's wrong here
A hash can help detect tampering, but it does not provide confidentiality or prove authorship by itself.
- ✓
Encrypt the file with the recipient's public key and sign it with the sender's private key.
Why this is correct
Using the recipient's public key ensures only the intended recipient can decrypt the file, which provides confidentiality. Adding a digital signature with the sender's private key gives the partner a way to verify the file came from your company and has not been altered. Together, these controls address both privacy and authenticity, which is exactly what the scenario requires.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use a shared symmetric key and send the key in the same email message.
Why it's wrong here
A shared key can encrypt data, but sending it in the same message defeats the protection and creates obvious exposure.
- ✗
Compress the file and password-protect the archive with a simple passphrase.
Why it's wrong here
Password protection is weaker than proper public key encryption and does not provide strong, verifiable origin assurance.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse hashing with encryption or think that password-protecting a zip file provides strong security and sender authentication, when in fact only a proper public-key infrastructure (PKI) with encryption and digital signatures meets both confidentiality and non-repudiation requirements.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, this uses a hybrid cryptosystem: the sender generates a random symmetric key (e.g., AES-256) to encrypt the file for speed, then encrypts that symmetric key with the recipient's RSA or ECC public key. The sender also creates a digital signature by hashing the encrypted file and signing the hash with their private key (e.g., using RSA-PSS or ECDSA). The recipient decrypts the symmetric key with their private key, uses it to decrypt the file, and verifies the signature using the sender's public key. In real-world scenarios, this is exactly how S/MIME or PGP encrypts and signs email attachments, ensuring both confidentiality and authentication even over untrusted networks.
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 developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
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: Encrypt the file with the recipient's public key and sign it with the sender's private key. — Option B is correct because it uses asymmetric encryption to ensure confidentiality (encrypting with the recipient's public key ensures only the intended recipient can decrypt it with their private key) and digital signing (signing with the sender's private key provides non-repudiation and authenticity, proving the file came from the sender). This combination directly addresses both requirements: only the partner can read the contract, and the partner can verify the sender's identity.
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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