An EDR console reports possible beaconing from a workstation because it makes outbound HTTPS connections to the same cloud IP every 15 minutes. The workstation belongs to the patch-management team, and the destination resolves to a vendor update service. Which evidence best supports closing the alert as a false positive?
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.
Distractor review
The workstation user says the activity looks normal and no files were encrypted.
User reassurance alone is not enough evidence to confirm whether the network pattern is expected.
Distractor review
The source IP appears on a blocklist, so the alert must be malicious.
A blocklist entry can be useful context, but it does not by itself prove the traffic is hostile.
Best answer
Process lineage and signed agent logs show the patch client initiated the traffic on schedule.
Process lineage and agent logs provide strong proof that the traffic came from the approved patch client. When the destination is a known vendor service and the timing matches the expected update schedule, the repeated connections are likely normal behavior. This is exactly the kind of evidence analysts should use to validate a detection instead of escalating a benign operational pattern.
Distractor review
The workstation has antivirus installed, which means outbound beaconing is impossible.
Endpoint protection reduces risk, but it does not eliminate the possibility of malicious network activity.
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
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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
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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: Process lineage and signed agent logs show the patch client initiated the traffic on schedule. — The strongest evidence is the combination of process lineage and signed agent logs showing the patch-management client started the traffic during its scheduled update window. That ties the network behavior to an approved process rather than an unknown executable or suspicious persistence mechanism. When the destination is also a legitimate vendor update service, the analyst has a solid basis for treating the alert as benign and closing it as a false positive. Why others are wrong: A is weak because user perception does not prove technical legitimacy. B is irrelevant without confirming the traffic source and context. D is a common mistake; antivirus presence does not guarantee the connection cannot be malicious. The key is evidence that directly explains the origin and timing of the traffic.
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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