Question 1hardmulti select
Full question →hardmulti selectObjective-mapped
A SIEM report shows this sequence over 25 minutes: the same public IP submitted one failed password attempt against 53 different accounts, then one account successfully authenticated, created an inbox forwarding rule, and downloaded hundreds of messages through the web portal. Which two conclusions are best supported? Select two.
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
Best answer
The pattern is consistent with a password spraying attack.
One failed attempt across many accounts from one source fits password spraying, which avoids lockouts by keeping per-account attempts low.
B
Distractor review
The attacker is performing a brute-force attack against one account.
Brute force would usually hammer a single account repeatedly rather than spreading one attempt across many different users.
C
Distractor review
The activity is most likely credential stuffing with multiple known password pairs.
Credential stuffing usually reuses leaked credential sets and often produces scattered successful logins across many accounts, not one attempt each.
D
Best answer
The successful account is likely compromised and being used for persistence or mailbox abuse.
A forwarding rule plus bulk message access strongly indicates the account was taken over and is now being used to maintain access or exfiltrate data.
E
Distractor review
The events primarily indicate a denial-of-service attack against the mail system.
The logs show authentication abuse and post-login activity, not traffic volume intended to exhaust service resources.
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: The pattern is consistent with a password spraying attack. — One failed attempt against many accounts from a single source matches password spraying because the attacker avoids lockouts by using a small number of tries per account. The later successful login followed by a forwarding rule and bulk message access strongly suggests the account was compromised and is being used to maintain access or exfiltrate data. Together, the logs point to credential abuse, not random noise or service disruption. Why others are wrong: A brute-force attack targets one account with many attempts, while credential stuffing normally replays leaked combinations across many accounts. Denial-of-service is not the best fit because the behavior centers on login success, mailbox rule creation, and message access rather than saturation of the service.
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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