Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A SOC analyst confirms that a critical Linux virtual machine is making outbound connections to a known malicious IP address. The application owner says the VM hosts a revenue system that cannot be powered off without causing a major outage. What is the best containment action?
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
Shut down the VM immediately to stop all malicious activity.
This would stop the threat, but it creates unnecessary downtime for a critical revenue system and may destroy useful volatile evidence.
B
Best answer
Isolate the VM at the network layer while keeping it powered on.
This reduces further attacker communication and spread while preserving the system state for investigation and minimizing business disruption.
C
Distractor review
Wait for the next maintenance window before taking action.
Delaying containment allows continued malicious traffic, possible lateral movement, and more damage to the environment.
D
Distractor review
Reimage the VM from a known-good template immediately.
Reimaging may be appropriate later, but it erases evidence and is too disruptive for initial containment in this situation.
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: Isolate the VM at the network layer while keeping it powered on. — Network isolation is the best first containment step when a system is actively communicating with a malicious destination but still supports a critical service. It stops most attacker activity without fully powering down the host, which helps preserve memory, running processes, and other volatile evidence for later analysis. This approach also limits business impact compared with an immediate shutdown or rebuild, making it a practical balance between security and continuity. Why others are wrong: Powering off or reimaging may remove the threat, but both actions are more disruptive and can destroy evidence needed to understand scope and root cause. Waiting until a maintenance window is unsafe because the malicious traffic continues. For Security+, containment should be prompt, proportionate, and aligned to business impact, which is why network isolation is preferred here.
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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