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← SY0-701
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hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped

Exhibit

TLS inventory:
- edge-vpn01 and edge-vpn02 present the same certificate and private key
- private key file stored in a shared SMB folder
- admins copy the key manually during maintenance
- compromise of either gateway would expose the file path to the same share

Based on the exhibit, which improvement best addresses the biggest cryptographic risk?

TLS inventory: - edge-vpn01 and edge-vpn02 present the same certificate and private key - private key file stored in a shared SMB folder - admins copy the key manually during maintenance - compromise of either gateway would expose the file path to the same share

Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →

Based on the exhibit, which improvement best addresses the biggest cryptographic risk?

TLS inventory: - edge-vpn01 and edge-vpn02 present the same certificate and private key - private key file stored in a shared SMB folder - admins copy the key manually during maintenance - compromise of either gateway would expose the file path to the same share

Full question →

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

Best answer

Place the private key in an HSM or cloud key vault and issue unique keys or certificates per gateway.

An HSM or vault protects the key from export, and unique keys reduce the impact if one gateway is compromised.

B

Distractor review

Increase the certificate expiration to five years to reduce renewal work.

Longer validity increases the time a weak key can be abused and does not fix the storage problem.

C

Distractor review

Keep copying the same key everywhere so failover is easier to manage.

Reusing the same key across devices expands blast radius and makes compromise of one system more dangerous.

D

Distractor review

Disable certificate validation to avoid user-facing outages.

Disabling validation removes trust checks entirely and would make secure communications much weaker.

Common exam trap

Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization

Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.

Technical deep dive

How to think about this question

This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.

KKey Concepts to Remember

  • Authentication checks who the user is.
  • Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
  • Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
  • AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.

TExam Day Tips

  • Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
  • Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
  • Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.

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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?

Authentication checks who the user is.

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Place the private key in an HSM or cloud key vault and issue unique keys or certificates per gateway. — The biggest risk is the private key being shared, exported, and reused across gateways. If that key is stolen, an attacker can impersonate multiple VPN endpoints. Putting the key in an HSM or cloud key vault helps prevent export and theft, while issuing unique keys or certificates per gateway limits the blast radius of a single compromise. This is a key-management improvement, not merely a certificate lifecycle change, and it addresses the actual exposure point in the exhibit. Why others are wrong: Extending certificate validity makes weak key management riskier because a compromised certificate remains trusted for longer. Reusing the same key everywhere keeps the same single point of failure and makes one compromise affect every gateway. Disabling certificate validation would remove a critical security check and could allow man-in-the-middle attacks. The strongest answer must protect the private key itself and reduce reuse across systems.

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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