A SIEM alert shows a workstation connecting to the same unknown internet address every 15 minutes, even after business hours. The device belongs to an employee who is on vacation. What is the best next step for the analyst?
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.
Distractor review
Dismiss the alert because periodic connections are always normal for workstations.
Regular timing can be normal, but unknown destinations still need verification.
Best answer
Treat the alert as potentially malicious and check endpoint and proxy logs for more context.
Unknown periodic outbound traffic can indicate beaconing, so additional log review is the right next step.
Distractor review
Immediately delete the workstation account from the directory service.
Deleting accounts is destructive and not an appropriate first response.
Distractor review
Shut down the entire office network until the analyst can review the alert.
This would be highly disruptive and is not justified by a single alert.
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.
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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?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Treat the alert as potentially malicious and check endpoint and proxy logs for more context. — The best next step is to treat the alert as potentially malicious and gather more evidence from endpoint and proxy logs. Repeated outbound connections to an unknown address at a fixed interval can be consistent with beaconing, but the analyst should confirm whether the traffic is expected software, a legitimate agent, or something suspicious. Additional context helps determine whether the alert is a true positive or a benign scheduled connection. Why others are wrong: Option A ignores the unknown destination and would miss a possible threat. Option C is a destructive action that should not be taken based on one alert. Option D is far too disruptive for initial triage and is not a proportionate response before confirming the incident.
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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