- A
Tap the link and complete the MFA reset immediately
Why wrong: This is risky because the message may lead to a fake site designed to steal credentials. Acting immediately without verification can expose the account.
- B
Verify the request using a known company contact method and report the text
This is the best first step because the employee should not trust a security-related request delivered through an unexpected text message. Using a known internal help desk number, portal, or security reporting process confirms whether the request is legitimate. It also helps the organization investigate the suspicious message quickly.
- C
Forward the text to coworkers so they can watch for it too
Why wrong: Forwarding can spread the harmful link and may cause more users to click it. The message should be reported through approved channels instead.
- D
Reply to the sender and ask for more details
Why wrong: Replying confirms the number is active and can invite more social engineering attempts. It also does not verify the request through a trusted source.
Quick Answer
The correct first step is to verify the request using a known company contact method and report the text. This is because the message is a classic MFA phishing attempt designed to harvest credentials or session tokens, often through a fake login page that captures both your password and the one-time code. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of social engineering and MFA bypass techniques, where attackers exploit urgency to bypass authentication controls. A common trap is assuming any official-looking text is legitimate, especially when it threatens account lockout. Remember the memory tip: “Verify before you click—phishers want your MFA quick.” Always use a trusted channel, like calling the IT help desk directly, never the number in the suspicious text.
SY0-701 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
An employee receives a text message that says, "Your MFA enrollment expired. Tap here now to re-activate access or your account will be locked." What should the employee do first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Verify the request using a known company contact method and report the text
Option B is correct because the message is a classic phishing attempt designed to harvest MFA credentials or session tokens. The employee must first verify the request through a trusted company channel (e.g., calling the IT help desk or checking the official security portal) and then report the text to the security team. This prevents falling for social engineering that could bypass MFA protections.
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.
- ✗
Tap the link and complete the MFA reset immediately
Why it's wrong here
This is risky because the message may lead to a fake site designed to steal credentials. Acting immediately without verification can expose the account.
- ✓
Verify the request using a known company contact method and report the text
Why this is correct
This is the best first step because the employee should not trust a security-related request delivered through an unexpected text message. Using a known internal help desk number, portal, or security reporting process confirms whether the request is legitimate. It also helps the organization investigate the suspicious message quickly.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Forward the text to coworkers so they can watch for it too
Why it's wrong here
Forwarding can spread the harmful link and may cause more users to click it. The message should be reported through approved channels instead.
- ✗
Reply to the sender and ask for more details
Why it's wrong here
Replying confirms the number is active and can invite more social engineering attempts. It also does not verify the request through a trusted source.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume MFA is unbreakable and rush to re-enroll, not realizing that phishing kits can intercept MFA tokens in real time via reverse proxy attacks.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Modern MFA phishing often uses adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) proxies that relay the real MFA prompt from the legitimate service, allowing attackers to capture both the password and the one-time code in real time. This technique bypasses time-based one-time password (TOTP) and push notification MFA. Reporting the text allows the security operations center (SOC) to block the phishing domain and issue a company-wide alert.
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
An employee at a financial services firm receives an email that appears to come from the IT helpdesk, asking them to reset their password via a link. The link leads to a convincing fake portal that harvests credentials. Security teams use phishing simulations and security-awareness training to reduce this attack vector. Questions like this test whether you can identify social engineering techniques and appropriate controls.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — This question tests Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Verify the request using a known company contact method and report the text — Option B is correct because the message is a classic phishing attempt designed to harvest MFA credentials or session tokens. The employee must first verify the request through a trusted company channel (e.g., calling the IT help desk or checking the official security portal) and then report the text to the security team. This prevents falling for social engineering that could bypass MFA protections.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on SY0-701
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. An employee receives a text message from an unknown number pretending to be IT. It includes a shortened URL for "urgent MFA re-enrollment" and says the account will be locked in 15 minutes. What is the best response?
medium- A.Open the link and enter the requested information if the page looks legitimate.
- ✓ B.Report the message through the official security channel and verify the request using known IT contact information.
- C.Forward the text to coworkers so they can check whether they received the same message.
- D.Reply to the text asking for a company badge number before proceeding.
Why B: Option B is correct because it follows the principle of verifying unsolicited requests through trusted channels, which is a key defense against social engineering and phishing attacks. The message exhibits classic phishing indicators: an unknown sender, a shortened URL (which can mask the true destination), a false sense of urgency, and a request for MFA re-enrollment—a common pretext to harvest credentials or MFA tokens. Reporting through the official security channel ensures the incident is logged and investigated, while verifying with known IT contact information prevents falling for a spoofed or compromised source.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This SY0-701 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SY0-701 exam.
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