This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security operations. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. A key principle to apply: service accounts enforce the principle of least privilege.. 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 Linux administrator must run a weekly maintenance script on 40 servers without giving technicians interactive root access. Which two practices best support secure administration? Select two.
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 the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use a dedicated service account with only the required commands.
Option A is correct because a dedicated service account with only the required commands implements the principle of least privilege. By using sudo or RBAC to restrict the account to exactly the commands needed for the maintenance script, the administrator avoids granting full root access while still allowing the script to execute with elevated privileges. This minimizes the attack surface and prevents unauthorized actions.
Key principle: Service accounts enforce the principle of least privilege.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Use a dedicated service account with only the required commands.
Why this is correct
A dedicated service account limits access to only the tasks the script needs.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Service accounts enforce the principle of least privilege.
✓
Run the job through a scheduler or automation tool instead of manually logging in.
Why this is correct
Scheduling the job avoids interactive logins and makes the workflow repeatable.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Service accounts enforce the principle of least privilege.
✗
Share one root password across the whole team.
Why it's wrong here
A shared root password increases risk because many people can use it.
✗
Embed the account password directly in the script.
Why it's wrong here
Hardcoding passwords makes secrets easy to copy, leak, or reuse later accidentally.
✗
Disable logging so the maintenance job runs faster.
Why it's wrong here
Turning off logging removes the audit trail needed to review the job.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think sharing a root password is acceptable for team efficiency, but CompTIA emphasizes that shared credentials break accountability and violate security best practices, especially when interactive root access must be avoided.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, a dedicated service account can be configured via sudoers entries (e.g., `Cmnd_Alias MAINT = /usr/local/bin/maintenance.sh`) to allow execution of only that specific script. Automation tools like cron or Ansible can run the script using SSH keys tied to the service account, with `command=` restrictions in the authorized_keys file to further lock down what can be executed. In a real-world scenario, this prevents a technician from using `sudo -i` or `sudo bash` to gain an interactive root shell.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Service accounts enforce the principle of least privilege.
They are non-human accounts for specific applications or services.
Permissions are restricted to only necessary tasks.
Compromise of a service account limits potential damage.
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
Service accounts enforce the principle of least privilege.
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. Service accounts enforce the principle of least privilege. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SY0-701 question in full detail.
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Service accounts enforce the principle of least privilege..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a dedicated service account with only the required commands. — Option A is correct because a dedicated service account with only the required commands implements the principle of least privilege. By using sudo or RBAC to restrict the account to exactly the commands needed for the maintenance script, the administrator avoids granting full root access while still allowing the script to execute with elevated privileges. This minimizes the attack surface and prevents unauthorized actions.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 question wrong?
Review service accounts enforce the principle of least privilege., then practise related SY0-701 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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?
Service accounts enforce the principle of least privilege.
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