- A
Power the workstation off immediately and leave it in place
Why wrong: This may stop the encryption process, but it can also destroy volatile evidence such as memory contents and active connections.
- B
Quarantine the workstation from the network using EDR or switch port containment
This is the best immediate containment action because it stops further spread while preserving evidence. EDR quarantine or disabling the switch port isolates the infected host without unnecessarily powering it down. The SOC can then collect volatile and disk evidence, determine the scope of infection, and proceed with eradication and recovery steps in the proper incident response sequence.
- C
Run a full antivirus scan while the workstation remains connected
Why wrong: A scan may help during eradication, but it does not immediately prevent lateral movement or further encryption activity on the network.
- D
Wipe and reimage the workstation from a standard build image
Why wrong: Reimaging is part of recovery or eradication, not the first response when evidence still needs to be preserved and the spread is active.
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 SOC analyst confirms that a workstation is encrypting local files and attempting SMB connections to nearby hosts. The user is still logged in, and the business wants to limit spread without destroying evidence. What is the best immediate action?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Quarantine the workstation from the network using EDR or switch port containment
Option B is correct because quarantining the workstation via EDR or switch port containment immediately stops the SMB-based lateral movement and further encryption of network shares, while preserving the volatile evidence (memory, running processes, encryption keys) for forensic analysis. This aligns with the business requirement to limit spread without destroying evidence, as powering off or reimaging would lose critical forensic data.
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.
- ✗
Power the workstation off immediately and leave it in place
Why it's wrong here
This may stop the encryption process, but it can also destroy volatile evidence such as memory contents and active connections.
- ✓
Quarantine the workstation from the network using EDR or switch port containment
Why this is correct
This is the best immediate containment action because it stops further spread while preserving evidence. EDR quarantine or disabling the switch port isolates the infected host without unnecessarily powering it down. The SOC can then collect volatile and disk evidence, determine the scope of infection, and proceed with eradication and recovery steps in the proper incident response sequence.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Run a full antivirus scan while the workstation remains connected
Why it's wrong here
A scan may help during eradication, but it does not immediately prevent lateral movement or further encryption activity on the network.
- ✗
Wipe and reimage the workstation from a standard build image
Why it's wrong here
Reimaging is part of recovery or eradication, not the first response when evidence still needs to be preserved and the spread is active.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates think powering off (Option A) is the fastest way to stop spread, but CompTIA emphasizes preserving evidence and avoiding destruction of volatile data, making network quarantine the correct choice.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SMB connections (port 445) are commonly used by ransomware like WannaCry and Ryuk for lateral movement via PsExec or EternalBlue exploits. Quarantining at the switch port (IEEE 802.1X or MAC-based containment) or via EDR agent (e.g., blocking all outbound traffic except to the SIEM) stops the spread while preserving the process memory, which may contain unencrypted file handles or encryption keys. In real-world incidents, immediate containment via EDR has prevented ransomware from encrypting backup servers and domain controllers.
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 developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
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.
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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: Quarantine the workstation from the network using EDR or switch port containment — Option B is correct because quarantining the workstation via EDR or switch port containment immediately stops the SMB-based lateral movement and further encryption of network shares, while preserving the volatile evidence (memory, running processes, encryption keys) for forensic analysis. This aligns with the business requirement to limit spread without destroying evidence, as powering off or reimaging would lose critical forensic data.
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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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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.
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