- A
Increase password length requirements only.
Why wrong: Longer passwords help in general, but they do not prevent the use of known breached passwords or automated credential stuffing.
- B
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
Disable account lockouts to avoid user inconvenience.
Why wrong: Removing lockouts makes automated guessing and stuffing easier, because attackers can test more credentials without interruption.
- D
Allow unlimited retries so legitimate users are never blocked.
Why wrong: Unlimited retries increase exposure to automation and make it easier for attackers to keep trying credentials until one works.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is breached-password screening plus MFA because the attack relies on passwords from a public breach list, and the combination directly addresses both the compromised credential reuse and the lack of secondary authentication. Breached-password screening blocks any password known to be exposed, preventing the attacker from using valid-looking credentials from the breach list, while MFA stops them even if a password slips through, as they lack the second factor. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of credential stuffing mitigation in the context of identity and access management controls—a common trap is choosing rate limiting or account lockout, which would fail here because the attacker uses many IPs and only a few successful logons, making those controls ineffective. Remember the mnemonic “BPM” for Breached Password screening plus MFA: it blocks the known bad and stops the unknown.
SY0-701 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations. 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 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?
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
Implement breached-password screening plus MFA.
Option B is correct because the attack uses passwords from a public breach list, so breached-password screening would block those known compromised passwords. Additionally, MFA would stop the attacker even if they use a valid breached password, as they lack the second factor. This combination directly addresses the two key weaknesses: reused breached passwords and the lack of additional authentication.
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.
- ✗
Increase password length requirements only.
Why it's wrong here
Longer passwords help in general, but they do not prevent the use of known breached passwords or automated credential stuffing.
- ✓
Implement breached-password screening plus MFA.
Why this is correct
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.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Disable account lockouts to avoid user inconvenience.
Why it's wrong here
Removing lockouts makes automated guessing and stuffing easier, because attackers can test more credentials without interruption.
- ✗
Allow unlimited retries so legitimate users are never blocked.
Why it's wrong here
Unlimited retries increase exposure to automation and make it easier for attackers to keep trying credentials until one works.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often focus on preventing brute-force attempts (e.g., lockouts) rather than recognizing that the attack uses valid breached passwords, making password screening and MFA the correct defense.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Breached-password screening typically uses a hashed password database (e.g., via the Have I Been Pwned API or a local NIST SP 800-63B compliant list) to reject passwords found in known breaches. MFA adds a second authentication factor (e.g., TOTP, push notification, or FIDO2 token) that the attacker cannot provide, rendering the stolen password useless. In real-world scenarios, this combination is recommended by frameworks like CISA's 'More Than a Password' campaign.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — This question tests Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Implement breached-password screening plus MFA. — Option B is correct because the attack uses passwords from a public breach list, so breached-password screening would block those known compromised passwords. Additionally, MFA would stop the attacker even if they use a valid breached password, as they lack the second factor. This combination directly addresses the two key weaknesses: reused breached passwords and the lack of additional authentication.
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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