- A
Ignore the alert because the login eventually succeeded.
Why wrong: A successful login does not rule out compromise when the user denies access. Ignoring the alert would leave a potentially active threat unaddressed.
- B
Temporarily disable the account and open an incident for investigation.
Disabling the account immediately limits further unauthorized access while the team investigates. Because the user denies the login and the activity is unusual, the account should be contained quickly and the event escalated for incident handling.
- C
Reset the password only and close the alert.
Why wrong: A password reset may be needed, but closing the alert without investigation is too early. The source, scope, and any additional compromise indicators still need review.
- D
Reboot the user's laptop to clear any malicious activity.
Why wrong: Rebooting a device does not address suspicious account activity and may destroy useful evidence. The login occurred at the account level, so containment and investigation are more appropriate.
SY0-701 Security Operations Practice Question
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. 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 SIEM alert shows five failed logins to an administrator account, followed by a successful login from a new city three minutes later. The account owner says they did not sign in. What should the analyst do first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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
Temporarily disable the account and open an incident for investigation.
Option B is correct because the alert shows a classic indicator of account compromise: multiple failed logins followed by a successful authentication from an unusual location. The account owner's denial of the login confirms unauthorized access, so the immediate priority is to contain the threat by disabling the account and opening an incident for formal investigation. This aligns with the NIST SP 800-61 incident response process, specifically the containment phase before eradication or recovery.
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.
- ✗
Ignore the alert because the login eventually succeeded.
Why it's wrong here
A successful login does not rule out compromise when the user denies access. Ignoring the alert would leave a potentially active threat unaddressed.
- ✓
Temporarily disable the account and open an incident for investigation.
Why this is correct
Disabling the account immediately limits further unauthorized access while the team investigates. Because the user denies the login and the activity is unusual, the account should be contained quickly and the event escalated for incident handling.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Reset the password only and close the alert.
Why it's wrong here
A password reset may be needed, but closing the alert without investigation is too early. The source, scope, and any additional compromise indicators still need review.
- ✗
Reboot the user's laptop to clear any malicious activity.
Why it's wrong here
Rebooting a device does not address suspicious account activity and may destroy useful evidence. The login occurred at the account level, so containment and investigation are more appropriate.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may focus on the 'successful login' as a resolution rather than recognizing it as the point of compromise, leading them to incorrectly choose A or C instead of prioritizing containment.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In a SIEM context, this alert pattern (5 failures then 1 success) often corresponds to a password-spraying or brute-force attack where the attacker uses a known password list against a privileged account. The successful login from a new city suggests the attacker used a valid credential, possibly obtained from a prior breach, and the account's administrative privileges could allow lateral movement or privilege escalation. Disabling the account immediately revokes the attacker's access token and Kerberos TGT, preventing further abuse while the incident is investigated.
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 SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Security Operations — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Security Operations practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All SY0-701 questions
1,152 questions across all exam domains
- →
Security+ SY0-701 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
SY0-701 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
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.
General Security Concepts practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to General Security Concepts.
Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations.
Security Architecture practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security Architecture.
Security Operations practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security Operations.
Security Program Management and Oversight practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security Program Management and Oversight.
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.
Practice this exam
Start a free SY0-701 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Temporarily disable the account and open an incident for investigation. — Option B is correct because the alert shows a classic indicator of account compromise: multiple failed logins followed by a successful authentication from an unusual location. The account owner's denial of the login confirms unauthorized access, so the immediate priority is to contain the threat by disabling the account and opening an incident for formal investigation. This aligns with the NIST SP 800-61 incident response process, specifically the containment phase before eradication or recovery.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.