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 reviews one user account and sees several failed logins from a single IP, then a successful login from the same IP, followed by a new inbox forwarding rule to an external address. Which two findings most strongly suggest account compromise? Select two.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Repeated failed logins followed by a successful login from the same source IP.
Option A is correct because a brute-force attack pattern—multiple failed logins followed by a successful authentication from the same external IP—strongly indicates credential compromise. This sequence suggests the attacker guessed or obtained the password and then successfully logged in. The single source IP ties the failed attempts to the eventual successful session, making it a classic indicator of account takeover.
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.
✓
Repeated failed logins followed by a successful login from the same source IP.
Why this is correct
This pattern matches credential guessing or spraying followed by a successful sign-in.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The user authenticated during normal business hours.
Why it's wrong here
Normal hours are expected and do not, by themselves, indicate unauthorized access.
✓
A new inbox forwarding rule sends mail to an external address.
Why this is correct
Attackers often add forwarding rules to hide messages or move data out.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The user accessed email from a corporate laptop.
Why it's wrong here
Known corporate devices are common and usually fit ordinary business use patterns.
✗
The password age is 89 days.
Why it's wrong here
Password age alone does not prove compromise; many accounts remain valid that long.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the concept that a single successful login after failures is not enough—candidates must recognize that the forwarding rule is the second critical indicator, not the timing of the login.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Exchange Online or on-premises Exchange uses EWS or Graph API to create inbox rules via Set-InboxRule or New-InboxRule cmdlets. A forwarding rule to an external domain (e.g., @gmail.com) is a common persistence technique used by attackers to exfiltrate emails silently. The combination of brute-force access and rule creation is a hallmark of post-compromise lateral movement or data theft.
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 security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SY0-701 question in full detail.
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: Repeated failed logins followed by a successful login from the same source IP. — Option A is correct because a brute-force attack pattern—multiple failed logins followed by a successful authentication from the same external IP—strongly indicates credential compromise. This sequence suggests the attacker guessed or obtained the password and then successfully logged in. The single source IP ties the failed attempts to the eventual successful session, making it a classic indicator of account takeover.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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