- A
Replace the cloud provider’s physical security controls with on-site guards.
Why wrong: Physical security for the datacenter is part of the provider’s responsibility in this model. The company cannot practically replace that control inside the IaaS service, and it does not address software vulnerabilities on the guest VM.
- B
Patch and harden the guest operating system and application running on the VM.
In IaaS, the organization is responsible for the guest OS and everything above it, including applications and configuration. If attackers may exploit outdated software on the VM, the company must handle patching, hardening, and secure configuration of that environment.
- C
Install new firmware on the physical host server maintained by the provider.
Why wrong: The host hardware and underlying infrastructure are managed by the cloud provider. The customer typically does not patch provider-owned firmware or directly maintain the physical servers in an IaaS environment.
- D
Set the data center’s perimeter access badge policy.
Why wrong: Badge policies for the provider’s facilities are also the provider’s responsibility. Changing them would not mitigate the VM-level risk created by outdated operating system or application software.
SY0-701 Security Architecture Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security architecture. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 team deploys an e-commerce application on an IaaS virtual machine. The cloud provider secures the datacenter, hardware, and hypervisor. The company wants to reduce the chance that attackers exploit outdated software on the VM itself. Which responsibility remains with the company?
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
Patch and harden the guest operating system and application running on the VM.
In an IaaS model, the cloud provider is responsible for the security of the cloud (datacenter, hardware, hypervisor), while the customer is responsible for security in the cloud. This includes patching and hardening the guest OS and application on the VM. The company must manage vulnerabilities in the software stack it controls to prevent exploitation of outdated components.
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.
- ✗
Replace the cloud provider’s physical security controls with on-site guards.
- ✓
Patch and harden the guest operating system and application running on the VM.
Why this is correct
In IaaS, the organization is responsible for the guest OS and everything above it, including applications and configuration. If attackers may exploit outdated software on the VM, the company must handle patching, hardening, and secure configuration of that environment.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Install new firmware on the physical host server maintained by the provider.
Why it's wrong here
The host hardware and underlying infrastructure are managed by the cloud provider. The customer typically does not patch provider-owned firmware or directly maintain the physical servers in an IaaS environment.
- ✗
Set the data center’s perimeter access badge policy.
Why it's wrong here
Badge policies for the provider’s facilities are also the provider’s responsibility. Changing them would not mitigate the VM-level risk created by outdated operating system or application software.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing the shared responsibility model: candidates often assume the provider handles all security (including OS patching) because they secure the hypervisor, but in IaaS, the customer retains full responsibility for the guest OS and applications.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the AWS Shared Responsibility Model (or similar for Azure/GCP), the customer is responsible for guest OS patches (e.g., using `yum update` or `apt upgrade`), application-level hardening (e.g., disabling unused ports, applying TLS 1.2+), and configuring the VM's firewall (e.g., iptables or security groups). The provider handles hypervisor patching (e.g., Xen or KVM updates) and physical infrastructure. A real-world scenario: the 2021 Log4j vulnerability required customers to patch their Java applications on IaaS VMs, while providers patched underlying hypervisors.
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 team runs a vulnerability scan on a web application and discovers an unpatched SQL injection flaw. The team prioritises remediation by CVSS score — critical flaws are patched within 24 hours, high within 7 days. Questions like this test whether you understand vulnerability management processes, scanning tools, and remediation prioritisation.
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?
Security Architecture — This question tests Security Architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Patch and harden the guest operating system and application running on the VM. — In an IaaS model, the cloud provider is responsible for the security of the cloud (datacenter, hardware, hypervisor), while the customer is responsible for security in the cloud. This includes patching and hardening the guest OS and application on the VM. The company must manage vulnerabilities in the software stack it controls to prevent exploitation of outdated components.
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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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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