Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A vulnerability scan of a branch-office print server finds that its administrative web console is reachable from the internet. The appliance is still using the vendor's default password, and no access control list limits management access to the office subnet or VPN. Which remediation would reduce risk the most with the least disruption?
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 the password length policy and leave the console publicly reachable.
Stronger passwords help, but leaving administrative access exposed to the internet still creates unnecessary attack surface.
B
Distractor review
Disable the management interface entirely and replace the device immediately.
Replacing the device may be costly and disruptive, and disabling management entirely may not be operationally practical.
C
Best answer
Restrict management access to the office network or VPN and change the default credentials.
This is the best balance of security and operational impact. Publicly exposed administration interfaces are high-risk, especially when default credentials are still enabled. Limiting access to a trusted management network or VPN immediately reduces attack surface, while changing the vendor defaults removes a common compromise path. Together, these steps address the exposure without requiring a full replacement or major service outage.
D
Distractor review
Apply a patch after the next quarterly maintenance window and keep the current exposure unchanged.
Waiting for a patch does not solve the immediate exposure, and the scan already shows a dangerous management configuration.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
- Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
- Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
- The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.
TExam Day Tips
- Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
- Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
- Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.
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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?
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Restrict management access to the office network or VPN and change the default credentials. — The best remediation is to restrict management access to the office network or VPN and change the default credentials. The most urgent problem is that an administrative service is reachable from the internet, which greatly increases the chance of brute force or credential-stuffing attacks. Default passwords are a common compromise vector, so removing them is essential. This fix substantially lowers risk without creating the disruption of a full device replacement. Why others are wrong: A stronger password policy alone does not remove the internet-facing exposure. Replacing the device is usually more disruptive than needed for this scenario. Waiting for a future patch ignores the immediate risk, and the issue is not primarily a software bug but an unsafe management configuration. The correct approach is to reduce exposure and eliminate default credentials right away.
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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