- A
Preventive control, because it blocks the login attempt before it occurs.
Why wrong: Preventive controls are designed to stop an incident before it happens, such as MFA or access restrictions.
- B
Detective control, because it identifies suspicious activity after the event has started.
This is a detective control because the SIEM is observing activity and generating an alert when a suspicious pattern appears. It does not stop the login by itself, but it helps security staff notice possible compromise quickly. Detection is important for investigation and response, especially when an attacker has already obtained valid credentials.
- C
Corrective control, because it automatically fixes the account after the login succeeds.
Why wrong: Corrective controls respond after a problem is found by reducing damage or restoring systems, such as restoring backups or reimaging a device.
- D
Deterrent control, because it discourages attackers from trying to sign in.
Why wrong: Deterrent controls aim to discourage unwanted behavior, such as warning banners or visible cameras, rather than monitor and alert on activity.
Quick Answer
The answer is detective control, because the SIEM alert identifies suspicious activity after the event has already occurred. This control works by monitoring and analyzing log data to detect a pattern—such as several failed logins followed by a successful login from a new location—rather than preventing or blocking the action in real time. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish detective controls from preventive or corrective controls, a common area of confusion. The trap is assuming that any SIEM alert is preventive; remember, if it only notifies you of something that has happened, it is detective. A useful memory tip is to think of a detective arriving at a crime scene after the fact—they investigate, not prevent.
SY0-701 General Security Concepts Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of general security concepts. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 security team configures the SIEM to alert when a user account has several failed logins followed by a successful login from a new location. What type of control is this?
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
Detective control, because it identifies suspicious activity after the event has started.
This is a detective control because the SIEM is configured to monitor and analyze log data after events have occurred, specifically identifying a pattern of several failed logins followed by a successful login from a new location. The alert does not prevent or block the login; it only notifies the security team of potentially suspicious activity that has already taken place, allowing them to investigate further.
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.
- ✗
Preventive control, because it blocks the login attempt before it occurs.
Why it's wrong here
Preventive controls are designed to stop an incident before it happens, such as MFA or access restrictions.
- ✓
Detective control, because it identifies suspicious activity after the event has started.
Why this is correct
This is a detective control because the SIEM is observing activity and generating an alert when a suspicious pattern appears. It does not stop the login by itself, but it helps security staff notice possible compromise quickly. Detection is important for investigation and response, especially when an attacker has already obtained valid credentials.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Corrective control, because it automatically fixes the account after the login succeeds.
Why it's wrong here
Corrective controls respond after a problem is found by reducing damage or restoring systems, such as restoring backups or reimaging a device.
- ✗
Deterrent control, because it discourages attackers from trying to sign in.
Why it's wrong here
Deterrent controls aim to discourage unwanted behavior, such as warning banners or visible cameras, rather than monitor and alert on activity.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse the SIEM's alerting capability with a preventive action, mistakenly thinking that because the alert is configured 'before' the successful login in the rule logic, it somehow blocks the event, when in fact the SIEM only detects and reports on completed events.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SIEM systems like Splunk or Microsoft Sentinel ingest Windows Security Event ID 4625 (failed logon) and 4624 (successful logon) to correlate patterns across time and geolocation. The correlation rule uses a sliding time window (e.g., 5 failed logins within 10 minutes followed by a successful login from a different country) to trigger an alert, which is a classic example of a behavioral detection technique. In real-world scenarios, this can indicate a password spray attack where an attacker brute-forces credentials and then uses a valid one from a new IP, but the SIEM cannot prevent the initial compromise—it only flags it for incident response.
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 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. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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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: Detective control, because it identifies suspicious activity after the event has started. — This is a detective control because the SIEM is configured to monitor and analyze log data after events have occurred, specifically identifying a pattern of several failed logins followed by a successful login from a new location. The alert does not prevent or block the login; it only notifies the security team of potentially suspicious activity that has already taken place, allowing them to investigate further.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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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