SY0-701 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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
Weekly vulnerability scan summary:
1. WEB01 - Public web server - Critical CVE with known exploit and no compensating control
2. FILE02 - Internal file server - Medium severity missing patch
3. LAP09 - User laptop - Low severity browser plug-in issue
4. PRN01 - Network printer - Informational firmware notice only
Based on the exhibit, which finding should the security team remediate 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.
Weekly vulnerability scan summary:
1. WEB01 - Public web server - Critical CVE with known exploit and no compensating control
2. FILE02 - Internal file server - Medium severity missing patch
3. LAP09 - User laptop - Low severity browser plug-in issue
4. PRN01 - Network printer - Informational firmware notice only
A
LAP09 because user devices are always the easiest to patch
Why wrong: Ease of patching is not the main priority here. The laptop finding is only low severity and is less exposed than the web server.
B
WEB01 because it is internet-facing and has a critical exploitable vulnerability
WEB01 should be remediated first because it is public-facing, rated critical, and already has a known exploit. Exposure and exploitability greatly increase risk, so this finding has the highest immediate urgency. When patching resources are limited, internet-facing critical vulnerabilities are typically prioritized before internal or low-severity issues.
C
PRN01 because firmware issues can affect many users
Why wrong: The printer item is informational only, so it does not represent an immediate security risk. It should not be prioritized over a critical web server vulnerability.
D
FILE02 because internal servers are always more important than public ones
Why wrong: Internal status does not automatically make a finding more urgent. The medium-severity file server issue is less risky than a critical exploit on an internet-facing system.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
WEB01 because it is internet-facing and has a critical exploitable vulnerability
WEB01 is internet-facing and has a critical exploitable vulnerability, meaning an attacker can directly compromise it from the public internet with minimal effort. This represents the highest risk because it combines high likelihood (exploit available) with high impact (full compromise of a public-facing server). Remediating this first aligns with the principle of prioritizing externally exposed systems with known critical flaws over internal or less severe issues.
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.
✗
LAP09 because user devices are always the easiest to patch
Why it's wrong here
Ease of patching is not the main priority here. The laptop finding is only low severity and is less exposed than the web server.
✓
WEB01 because it is internet-facing and has a critical exploitable vulnerability
Why this is correct
WEB01 should be remediated first because it is public-facing, rated critical, and already has a known exploit. Exposure and exploitability greatly increase risk, so this finding has the highest immediate urgency. When patching resources are limited, internet-facing critical vulnerabilities are typically prioritized before internal or low-severity issues.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
PRN01 because firmware issues can affect many users
Why it's wrong here
The printer item is informational only, so it does not represent an immediate security risk. It should not be prioritized over a critical web server vulnerability.
✗
FILE02 because internal servers are always more important than public ones
Why it's wrong here
Internal status does not automatically make a finding more urgent. The medium-severity file server issue is less risky than a critical exploit on an internet-facing system.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates prioritize based on ease of remediation (A) or internal importance (D) instead of applying a risk-based approach that considers both the severity of the vulnerability and the exposure of the asset.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A critical vulnerability (e.g., CVSS 9.0-10.0) on an internet-facing host like WEB01 often allows unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE), meaning an attacker can gain full control without any credentials. In contrast, firmware issues on PRN01 might require physical access or local network presence to exploit, significantly reducing the attack surface. The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) vector for WEB01 would likely show AV:N (Network) and PR:N (None), indicating no privileges required, which is the most dangerous combination.
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 team runs a vulnerability scan on a web application and discovers an unpatched SQL injection flaw. The team prioritises remediation by CVSS score — critical flaws are patched within 24 hours, high within 7 days. Questions like this test whether you understand vulnerability management processes, scanning tools, and remediation prioritisation.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SY0-701 question in full detail.
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: WEB01 because it is internet-facing and has a critical exploitable vulnerability — WEB01 is internet-facing and has a critical exploitable vulnerability, meaning an attacker can directly compromise it from the public internet with minimal effort. This represents the highest risk because it combines high likelihood (exploit available) with high impact (full compromise of a public-facing server). Remediating this first aligns with the principle of prioritizing externally exposed systems with known critical flaws over internal or less severe issues.
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.
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Question Discussion
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