The correct answer is to split the HR-Editor and Payroll-Approver roles so that no single user can both update employee records and release payment batches. This directly reduces payroll fraud risk by enforcing separation of duties, which prevents a single insider from creating a fake employee record and then approving a fraudulent payment. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the principle of least privilege and the NIST SP 800-53 AC-5 control, often appearing in a role-based access control exhibit where a user like Lisa holds conflicting roles. A common trap is assuming that simply removing one role would stop the payroll process, but the correct approach is to split duties without halting the workflow. Remember the memory tip: “One person, one power—never both the editor and the payer.”
SY0-701 Security Architecture Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security architecture. 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.
Exhibit
Exhibit:
Payroll application roles:
- HR-Editor: can update employee records
- Payroll-Approver: can release payment batches
- Audit-Reader: can view reports only
Current assignment:
User Lisa has both HR-Editor and Payroll-Approver because she "handles payroll end to end."
Management wants to reduce the chance of one person creating and approving a fraudulent payment.
Based on the exhibit, which access design change best reduces fraud risk without stopping the payroll process?
Exhibit:
Payroll application roles:
- HR-Editor: can update employee records
- Payroll-Approver: can release payment batches
- Audit-Reader: can view reports only
Current assignment:
User Lisa has both HR-Editor and Payroll-Approver because she "handles payroll end to end."
Management wants to reduce the chance of one person creating and approving a fraudulent payment.
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Exhibit:
Payroll application roles:
- HR-Editor: can update employee records
- Payroll-Approver: can release payment batches
- Audit-Reader: can view reports only
Current assignment:
User Lisa has both HR-Editor and Payroll-Approver because she "handles payroll end to end."
Management wants to reduce the chance of one person creating and approving a fraudulent payment.
A
Keep both roles assigned but require a manager to review the batch after payment completes.
Why wrong: Post-payment review is useful for detection, but it does not prevent the same person from creating and approving a fraudulent payment in the first place. The control happens too late to fully address the fraud risk described in the exhibit.
B
Split duties so record updates and payment approval require separate roles or separate accounts.
This is the best design because it enforces separation of duties, which directly reduces fraud risk. The same person should not be able to create a payment and approve it without independent review. Separate roles or accounts preserve workflow continuity while making collusion or abuse harder, and they provide a cleaner audit trail for accountability.
C
Remove the audit role and let payroll staff self-review their own work to save time.
Why wrong: Self-review defeats the purpose of independent oversight. The audit function exists to provide visibility and accountability, not to be merged into the same person who performs the operational action.
D
Use a single shared payroll account so the workflow never pauses for approvals.
Why wrong: A shared account destroys individual accountability and makes it impossible to determine who approved a payment. It also increases the chance of unnoticed misuse and does not reduce fraud risk.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Split duties so record updates and payment approval require separate roles or separate accounts.
Option B is correct because it enforces separation of duties (SoD) by ensuring that no single user can both create and approve a payment. Splitting the HR-Editor and Payroll-Approver roles into separate accounts or requiring separate users for record updates and payment approval directly mitigates the fraud risk of a single insider creating a fake employee record and then approving a fraudulent payment batch. This aligns with the principle of least privilege and the NIST SP 800-53 AC-5 control for separation of duties, without halting the payroll workflow.
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.
✗
Keep both roles assigned but require a manager to review the batch after payment completes.
Why it's wrong here
Post-payment review is useful for detection, but it does not prevent the same person from creating and approving a fraudulent payment in the first place. The control happens too late to fully address the fraud risk described in the exhibit.
✓
Split duties so record updates and payment approval require separate roles or separate accounts.
Why this is correct
This is the best design because it enforces separation of duties, which directly reduces fraud risk. The same person should not be able to create a payment and approve it without independent review. Separate roles or accounts preserve workflow continuity while making collusion or abuse harder, and they provide a cleaner audit trail for accountability.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Remove the audit role and let payroll staff self-review their own work to save time.
Why it's wrong here
Self-review defeats the purpose of independent oversight. The audit function exists to provide visibility and accountability, not to be merged into the same person who performs the operational action.
✗
Use a single shared payroll account so the workflow never pauses for approvals.
Why it's wrong here
A shared account destroys individual accountability and makes it impossible to determine who approved a payment. It also increases the chance of unnoticed misuse and does not reduce fraud risk.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose a detective control (like post-payment review) thinking it reduces risk, but the question specifically asks for a change that 'best reduces fraud risk' without stopping the process, and only a preventive control like separation of duties directly addresses the root cause of the conflict of interest.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Separation of duties (SoD) is a core internal control that prevents fraud by dividing critical tasks among multiple users. In a payroll system, the HR-Editor role typically has write access to employee master data (e.g., salary, bank account), while the Payroll-Approver role has execute access to payment batch release. If these roles are combined, a user can create a ghost employee and immediately approve a payment, bypassing any approval workflow. Real-world implementations often use role-based access control (RBAC) with mutually exclusive roles enforced at the application layer, and audit logs track which user performed each action.
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 analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SY0-701 question in full detail.
Security Architecture — This question tests Security Architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Split duties so record updates and payment approval require separate roles or separate accounts. — Option B is correct because it enforces separation of duties (SoD) by ensuring that no single user can both create and approve a payment. Splitting the HR-Editor and Payroll-Approver roles into separate accounts or requiring separate users for record updates and payment approval directly mitigates the fraud risk of a single insider creating a fake employee record and then approving a fraudulent payment batch. This aligns with the principle of least privilege and the NIST SP 800-53 AC-5 control for separation of duties, without halting the payroll workflow.
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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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