Question 1easymultiple choice
Full question →easymultiple choiceObjective-mapped
An employee receives an email that appears to come from the company's payroll provider. It says payroll documents will be deleted today unless the employee signs in through the included link. What is the best first action?
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
Click the link quickly and sign in to avoid losing the documents.
This would expose the employee to credential theft if the message is fake.
B
Best answer
Report the message and verify the request using a trusted contact method.
This avoids interacting with a potentially malicious message and confirms the request safely.
C
Distractor review
Reply to the sender and ask whether the message is legitimate.
Replying can confirm the address is active and still does not prove legitimacy.
D
Distractor review
Forward the email to coworkers so they can watch for the same warning.
Forwarding spreads risk and can increase the chance that someone clicks the link.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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.
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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?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Report the message and verify the request using a trusted contact method. — The best first action is to report the message and verify the request through a trusted channel, such as an official phone number or bookmarked portal. That prevents accidental interaction with a malicious link while still allowing the business request to be checked. Phishing messages often use urgency and threats to pressure quick action, so the safest response is to pause, verify independently, and let security or the service owner review the email. Why others are wrong: Clicking the link is the riskiest choice because it could lead to credential theft or malware. Replying to the sender does not prove the email is real and may confirm an active account to an attacker. Forwarding the email to coworkers increases exposure and can spread the lure without solving the problem.
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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