Question 1easymultiple choice
Full question →easymultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A team manages virtual machines in a public cloud and wants an audit trail of who created instances, changed security groups, and modified IAM settings. What should be enabled first?
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
Host-based antivirus on each virtual machine.
Antivirus helps detect malware on guests, but it does not record cloud management actions or configuration changes.
B
Best answer
Cloud control plane or audit logging.
This is the best answer because audit logs record management actions such as instance creation, security group changes, and IAM updates. Those events are central to cloud investigations and change tracking. Enabling cloud-native logging first gives the team visibility into who did what and when, which is essential for security monitoring and accountability.
C
Distractor review
A guest operating system screen saver policy.
Screen saver settings are endpoint usability controls and do not provide the needed visibility into cloud administration events.
D
Distractor review
A static public IP address for every virtual machine.
Public addressing does not create an audit trail and can actually increase exposure if used carelessly.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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.
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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.
Question 1
A laptop is suspected of being used in a malware incident. It is still powered on and connected to Wi-Fi. What should the responder do before shutting it down?
Question 2
An employee reports a ransomware note on a file server. The server is still powered on, shares are still being accessed, and management wants service restored as quickly as possible. What should the incident response team do first?
Question 3
An employee reports a ransomware note on a finance laptop. The laptop is still powered on, connected to Wi-Fi, and the user says they were just working in a spreadsheet. Management wants the fastest safe response that also preserves evidence. What should the responder do first?
Question 4
You are handed a company laptop suspected in an insider theft case. Legal says the evidence may be needed in court. Which action best preserves admissibility?
Question 5
A developer wants to reduce the risk of SQL injection in a new customer search form. Which two changes are the best mitigations? Select two.
Question 6
A branch office uses a flat LAN, and a compromise on one user workstation could spread quickly to finance systems. Management wants finance workstations isolated from general users, but finance staff still need access to a central finance application and network printer. What is the best design change?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Cloud control plane or audit logging. — Cloud control plane or audit logging records administrative and configuration activity across the cloud environment. That includes actions like creating instances, editing security rules, and changing identity permissions. Those records are far more useful than host-only tools when the goal is to understand who changed the environment. In practice, enabling these logs early supports investigation, compliance, and security monitoring. Why others are wrong: Antivirus and screen saver settings are host-level controls, not cloud administration visibility controls. A static public IP helps connectivity, but it does not show account activity or configuration changes.
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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