The answer is to restrict the host firewall to only the load balancer and management jump host, and to run the web service under a dedicated nonadministrative service account. These two changes directly enforce host firewall hardening and least privilege by limiting inbound traffic to specific source IPs and required ports while stripping unnecessary administrative rights from the service process. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of network segmentation and the principle of least privilege as applied to both access control and service accounts—a common trap is to only fix the firewall while leaving the service running with excessive privileges. Remember the memory tip: “Lock the door and drop the keys”—restrict what comes in (firewall rules) and limit what the service can do (nonadmin account).
SY0-701 General Security Concepts Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of general security concepts. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
Exhibit
Server review:
- Inbound firewall policy: allow any source to any port
- Web service account: domain admin
- Required flows: load balancer to web service, jump host to admin port
- No other inbound access should be permitted
A web server should accept traffic only from a load balancer and a management jump host. The current host firewall allows all inbound ports, and the web service runs as a domain administrator. Which two changes most improve hardening without breaking the required access pattern? Select two.
Server review:
- Inbound firewall policy: allow any source to any port
- Web service account: domain admin
- Required flows: load balancer to web service, jump host to admin port
- No other inbound access should be permitted
A
Restrict host firewall rules to required source addresses and ports.
Restricting the firewall to only the needed sources and ports reduces the attack surface immediately. It enforces the trust boundary around the server and prevents unnecessary inbound exposure from other networks.
B
Run the service under a dedicated nonadministrative service account.
A dedicated low-privilege account follows least privilege and limits damage if the web service is compromised. The service can still function, but it no longer carries unnecessary domain administrator power.
C
Leave SSH open to every subnet and rely on strong passwords.
Why wrong: Open access across all subnets creates a wide attack surface. Strong passwords help, but they do not compensate for exposing management services to networks that do not need them.
D
Give the service account local administrator rights so it can restart itself.
Why wrong: Extra administrative rights increase the impact of compromise and are not required for a normal web service. Self-restart can usually be handled through a service manager without granting full admin privileges.
E
Disable patching during business hours permanently.
Why wrong: Disabling patching indefinitely hurts resilience and leaves known vulnerabilities unaddressed. Maintenance windows should be planned, not eliminated, especially for internet-facing systems.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Restrict host firewall rules to required source addresses and ports.
Option A is correct because restricting host firewall rules to only the load balancer and management jump host's source IP addresses and required ports (e.g., HTTP/HTTPS for the load balancer, SSH/RDP for the jump host) enforces the principle of least privilege. This eliminates the risk of exposing unnecessary services to the entire network, which is a common attack vector. The current 'allow all inbound ports' configuration violates basic network segmentation and access control best practices.
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.
✓
Restrict host firewall rules to required source addresses and ports.
Why this is correct
Restricting the firewall to only the needed sources and ports reduces the attack surface immediately. It enforces the trust boundary around the server and prevents unnecessary inbound exposure from other networks.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Run the service under a dedicated nonadministrative service account.
Why this is correct
A dedicated low-privilege account follows least privilege and limits damage if the web service is compromised. The service can still function, but it no longer carries unnecessary domain administrator power.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Leave SSH open to every subnet and rely on strong passwords.
Why it's wrong here
Open access across all subnets creates a wide attack surface. Strong passwords help, but they do not compensate for exposing management services to networks that do not need them.
✗
Give the service account local administrator rights so it can restart itself.
Why it's wrong here
Extra administrative rights increase the impact of compromise and are not required for a normal web service. Self-restart can usually be handled through a service manager without granting full admin privileges.
✗
Disable patching during business hours permanently.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling patching indefinitely hurts resilience and leaves known vulnerabilities unaddressed. Maintenance windows should be planned, not eliminated, especially for internet-facing systems.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often focus on password strength or patching schedules while ignoring the critical need for network segmentation and least-privilege service accounts, which are the foundational controls tested in this question.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, a host-based firewall (e.g., Windows Defender Firewall or iptables) processes rules in a top-down order; misconfigurations like 'allow all' bypass stateful inspection and can permit malicious traffic from any source. Running a web service as a domain administrator means the process has unrestricted access to Active Directory objects, Kerberos tickets, and LSASS memory, making it a prime target for credential theft (e.g., via Mimikatz). In a real-world scenario, a compromised web server with such privileges could be used to pivot laterally across the domain, leading to full domain compromise.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SY0-701 question in full detail.
General Security Concepts — This question tests General Security Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Restrict host firewall rules to required source addresses and ports. — Option A is correct because restricting host firewall rules to only the load balancer and management jump host's source IP addresses and required ports (e.g., HTTP/HTTPS for the load balancer, SSH/RDP for the jump host) enforces the principle of least privilege. This eliminates the risk of exposing unnecessary services to the entire network, which is a common attack vector. The current 'allow all inbound ports' configuration violates basic network segmentation and access control best practices.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. During an incident, a server administrator needs elevated access to production logs for exactly two hours after manager approval. The organization does not want standing privileged accounts. Which solution is the best fit?
medium
A.Add the administrator to a permanent domain admin group so access is always available.
✓ B.Use just-in-time privileged access through a privileged access management workflow.
C.Create a shared administrator account for the incident team and change the password afterward.
D.Grant access by sending the administrator a VPN profile with broader network reach.
Why B: Just-in-time (JIT) privileged access through a Privileged Access Management (PAM) workflow is the best fit because it grants the administrator elevated permissions for exactly two hours, then automatically revokes them. This aligns with the requirement for time-limited access without maintaining standing privileged accounts, reducing the attack surface and ensuring compliance with the principle of least privilege.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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