Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A SOC analyst sees many login attempts against one SaaS account from hundreds of IPs over 20 minutes. Most passwords are valid-looking, but only a few result in successful logons, and the successful attempts use a password pattern that was exposed in a public breach list. What is the best mitigation to reduce this attack?
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
Increase password length requirements only.
Longer passwords help in general, but they do not prevent the use of known breached passwords or automated credential stuffing.
B
Best answer
Implement breached-password screening plus MFA.
This attack is consistent with credential stuffing, where attackers reuse passwords taken from prior breaches across many accounts. Breached-password screening helps stop users from choosing known-compromised passwords, and MFA adds a second barrier if a password is guessed or reused. Together, these controls reduce the chance that stolen credentials will work at scale. The scenario's pattern of many IPs and a small number of successful logins is exactly the kind of activity these controls are meant to disrupt.
C
Distractor review
Disable account lockouts to avoid user inconvenience.
Removing lockouts makes automated guessing and stuffing easier, because attackers can test more credentials without interruption.
D
Distractor review
Allow unlimited retries so legitimate users are never blocked.
Unlimited retries increase exposure to automation and make it easier for attackers to keep trying credentials until one works.
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.
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Question 2
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Question 3
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Question 4
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Question 5
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Question 6
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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: Implement breached-password screening plus MFA. — The best mitigation is breached-password screening plus MFA. The behavior in the scenario is a classic credential-stuffing pattern: many attempts from many IPs using previously exposed passwords, with a few accounts successfully accessed. Screening passwords against known breach corpora reduces the chance that users choose compromised credentials, while MFA makes a stolen password insufficient on its own. The combination addresses both the source of the risk and the impact of reuse, which is why it is stronger than password length alone. Why others are wrong: Longer password requirements do not stop attackers from using already known passwords or from trying many combinations at scale. Disabling account lockouts removes an important friction point for attackers and can make automated abuse easier. Unlimited retries are even worse because they intentionally favor brute force and stuffing attacks. The goal is to stop compromised credentials from working, not to make authentication easier for everyone.
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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