Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A manufacturing company is redesigning its plant network. PLCs must communicate with a SCADA server for telemetry, but neither the PLCs nor the SCADA server should be reachable from employee laptops or the internet. Which architecture best meets the requirement?
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
Place the PLCs and office workstations on the same VLAN and rely on endpoint antivirus.
A flat VLAN increases exposure and does not enforce trust boundaries between operational and office devices.
B
Best answer
Create a separate OT zone behind a firewall with explicit allow rules only to the SCADA server.
This option isolates industrial devices in their own security zone and uses deny-by-default filtering, which is appropriate for production environments.
C
Distractor review
Publish the SCADA server through a public reverse proxy so vendors can reach it remotely.
A public reverse proxy exposes critical industrial systems to internet-facing risk and is unnecessary for internal-only communication.
D
Distractor review
Put the PLCs on the same subnet as user devices and hide them behind NAT.
NAT obscures addresses but does not provide meaningful internal segmentation or access control between device groups.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Authentication checks who the user is.
- Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
- Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
- AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
- Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
- Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
- Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
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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?
Authentication checks who the user is.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a separate OT zone behind a firewall with explicit allow rules only to the SCADA server. — The best design is a dedicated OT zone protected by a firewall with tightly scoped rules. This creates a clear boundary between business IT and industrial control systems, reducing the chance that a compromised laptop can reach production equipment. The firewall can permit only the exact SCADA-to-PLC communications needed for operations while blocking all other traffic. That approach supports least privilege, containment, and safer troubleshooting in an environment where availability matters. Why others are wrong: A flat VLAN leaves all devices in the same trust zone, which is risky for industrial control systems. Publishing SCADA to the internet creates a much larger attack surface than required. NAT is not a segmentation control; it only changes addressing and does not meaningfully restrict east-west traffic inside the network.
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.
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