Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A SIEM alert shows 300 failed logins against the same VPN account from one source IP over 12 minutes, followed by a successful login from that same IP and a spike in mailbox access. The user says they did not initiate the session. What is the most likely cause?
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
A normal VPN reconnect after a brief network outage
A routine reconnect would not produce hundreds of failed authentications or a sudden increase in mailbox access after login.
B
Best answer
A brute-force attack that eventually guessed the correct password
This pattern fits repeated attempts against one account from one source, followed by success and suspicious post-login activity. The mailbox spike strengthens the case for compromised credentials.
C
Distractor review
A password-spraying attempt against many different accounts
Password spraying usually spreads a few guesses across many accounts, rather than hammering one account hundreds of times from the same source.
D
Distractor review
A false positive caused by email synchronization
Mailbox synchronization may generate access events, but it does not explain repeated failed VPN logins from one IP and a later successful session.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Related practice questions
Related SY0-701 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Security+ social engineering questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ social engineering questions.
Security+ cryptography practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ cryptography.
Security+ IAM questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ IAM questions.
Security+ risk management questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ risk management questions.
Security+ incident response questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ incident response questions.
Security+ malware questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ malware questions.
Security+ vulnerability management questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ vulnerability management questions.
Security+ security operations questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ security operations questions.
Security+ zero trust questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ zero trust questions.
Security+ authentication factors questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ authentication factors questions.
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?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A brute-force attack that eventually guessed the correct password — The log pattern most strongly indicates a brute-force attack against a single VPN account. Hundreds of failed attempts from one source IP followed by success is a classic compromise indicator, especially when paired with abnormal mailbox access afterward. That combination suggests the attacker authenticated successfully and started using the account. The analyst should treat the account as compromised and escalate for containment, password reset, and session revocation. Why others are wrong: Password spraying usually targets many accounts with a small number of guesses per account, not hundreds of attempts against one user. A normal reconnect would not generate that many failures or post-login mailbox anomalies. Email synchronization is not a plausible explanation for repeated VPN authentication failures and suspicious access from the same source IP.
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.
Discussion
Loading comments…
Sign in to join the discussion.