The answer is corrective control because the automated reapplication of the approved firewall baseline directly fixes a security configuration that has drifted from the secure standard. In this scenario, the MDM agent detects an unauthorized change and automatically restores the device to its approved state, which is the defining behavior of a corrective control—it actively remediates a violation after it occurs. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this concept tests your ability to distinguish control types by their timing and action: preventive controls block changes before they happen, detective controls only alert after the fact, and corrective controls like this one automatically roll back to a known good state. A common trap is confusing automated baseline reapplication with a preventive control, but remember that the change was allowed to happen first, making it correction, not prevention. Memory tip: “Corrective controls correct after the fact—they roll back, not block.”
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
MDM remediation log:
Device: FIN-LT-14
Issue: Local firewall profile modified by user
Policy baseline: Company-Standard-Windows-14
Action: policy sync scheduled at next check-in
Result: approved firewall rules reapplied automatically after the device reconnected
Help desk note:
The user changed local settings to troubleshoot a personal printer and did not restore them.
Based on the exhibit, what control type is the automated reapplication of the baseline?
MDM remediation log:
Device: FIN-LT-14
Issue: Local firewall profile modified by user
Policy baseline: Company-Standard-Windows-14
Action: policy sync scheduled at next check-in
Result: approved firewall rules reapplied automatically after the device reconnected
Help desk note:
The user changed local settings to troubleshoot a personal printer and did not restore them.
A
Preventive control, because the system prevented the user from changing the firewall profile at all.
Why wrong: A preventive control would stop the risky change before it occurs. In the exhibit, the user successfully changed the firewall profile, and only later did the MDM system restore the approved settings. Since the unwanted action was allowed to happen first, the automated fix is not preventive.
B
Corrective control, because the MDM agent restores the approved baseline after the unauthorized change is found.
Corrective control is the best answer because the system repairs the deviation after it has already happened. The user altered the firewall profile, and then the management platform reapplied the approved baseline at the next check-in. This restores the device to the desired secure state, which is exactly what a corrective control is designed to do.
C
Detective control, because the help desk can review the event later.
Why wrong: A detective control would only report that the firewall changed and allow an analyst to review the event. In this exhibit, the MDM platform goes further by automatically restoring the standard configuration. That recovery action means the control is doing more than detection alone.
D
Deterrent control, because the policy baseline discourages users from making changes.
Why wrong: Deterrent controls make people think twice, such as warning banners or visible cameras. A baseline profile by itself may influence behavior, but the important behavior in the exhibit is automatic repair after the change. Because the platform restores the approved rules, the control is corrective rather than merely discouraging.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Corrective control, because the MDM agent restores the approved baseline after the unauthorized change is found.
The automatic reapplication of the approved firewall baseline is a corrective control because it fixes a configuration that drifted away from the secure standard. The user was able to make the change, so the control was not preventive. The MDM system then returned the device to its approved state, which is the defining behavior of correction rather than simple detection or deterrence.
Why others are wrong: The user change was already allowed to happen, so the control was not preventive. The log shows an automatic restoration, not just an alert, so it is more than detective. A deterrent would merely discourage changes through warnings or visibility. The key evidence is the platform's automatic rollback to the approved baseline after the deviation was found.
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.
✗
Preventive control, because the system prevented the user from changing the firewall profile at all.
Why it's wrong here
A preventive control would stop the risky change before it occurs. In the exhibit, the user successfully changed the firewall profile, and only later did the MDM system restore the approved settings. Since the unwanted action was allowed to happen first, the automated fix is not preventive.
✓
Corrective control, because the MDM agent restores the approved baseline after the unauthorized change is found.
Why this is correct
Corrective control is the best answer because the system repairs the deviation after it has already happened. The user altered the firewall profile, and then the management platform reapplied the approved baseline at the next check-in. This restores the device to the desired secure state, which is exactly what a corrective control is designed to do.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Detective control, because the help desk can review the event later.
Why it's wrong here
A detective control would only report that the firewall changed and allow an analyst to review the event. In this exhibit, the MDM platform goes further by automatically restoring the standard configuration. That recovery action means the control is doing more than detection alone.
✗
Deterrent control, because the policy baseline discourages users from making changes.
Why it's wrong here
Deterrent controls make people think twice, such as warning banners or visible cameras. A baseline profile by itself may influence behavior, but the important behavior in the exhibit is automatic repair after the change. Because the platform restores the approved rules, the control is corrective rather than merely discouraging.
Common exam traps
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.
Detailed technical explanation
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.
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 developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SY0-701 question in full detail.
Identify which SY0-701 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: Corrective control, because the MDM agent restores the approved baseline after the unauthorized change is found. — The automatic reapplication of the approved firewall baseline is a corrective control because it fixes a configuration that drifted away from the secure standard. The user was able to make the change, so the control was not preventive. The MDM system then returned the device to its approved state, which is the defining behavior of correction rather than simple detection or deterrence.
Why others are wrong: The user change was already allowed to happen, so the control was not preventive. The log shows an automatic restoration, not just an alert, so it is more than detective. A deterrent would merely discourage changes through warnings or visibility. The key evidence is the platform's automatic rollback to the approved baseline after the deviation was found.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 question wrong?
Identify which SY0-701 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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