Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A user database is stolen from a SaaS portal. Investigators discover the password column contains the same value for every user who chose "Summer2026!", and an attacker could use precomputed tables to crack weak passwords quickly. Which change best addresses both the repeated-value issue and rainbow-table risk?
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
Encrypt all stored passwords with AES and keep one shared key
AES is reversible encryption, so passwords would still be recoverable if the key were exposed. It also does not solve identical-value storage by itself.
B
Distractor review
Use SHA-256 without a salt
A plain hash without a salt still produces the same output for the same password, and it remains vulnerable to rainbow-table attacks.
C
Best answer
Store each password with a unique salt and an adaptive hash such as bcrypt or Argon2
A unique salt prevents two users with the same password from producing the same stored value, which makes identical passwords harder to spot. Salting also defeats rainbow-table attacks because precomputed hashes no longer match. An adaptive hash adds deliberate computational cost, slowing offline cracking after a breach. Together, these are the standard protections for password storage.
D
Distractor review
Add a digital signature to each password record
Digital signatures prove origin and integrity for files or messages, but they are not a password storage mechanism.
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.
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?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Store each password with a unique salt and an adaptive hash such as bcrypt or Argon2 — A unique salt prevents two users with the same password from producing the same stored value, which makes identical passwords harder to spot. Salting also defeats rainbow-table attacks because precomputed hashes no longer match. An adaptive hash adds deliberate computational cost, slowing offline cracking after a breach. Together, these are the standard protections for password storage. Why others are wrong: AES encryption is reversible and would expose passwords if the key is compromised. A plain SHA-256 hash still allows identical passwords to produce identical values and remains vulnerable to precomputed cracking. Digital signatures solve authenticity and integrity problems, not password storage. The key clue is both identical-value leakage and rainbow-table resistance.
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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