This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security operations. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 report:
1. vpn-gw01
- Exposure: Internet-facing
- Finding: Critical remote code execution
- Notes: Vendor patch available; reboot required
2. db-lab02
- Exposure: Internal only
- Finding: High-severity authentication bypass
- Notes: Isolated lab subnet; no sensitive data; no route to production
3. printsrv03
- Exposure: Internet-facing administrative portal
- Finding: Medium-severity outdated firmware
- Notes: Vendor has not released a fix yet; temporary ACL blocks the admin port from the internet
Based on the exhibit, which issue should be remediated first by the operations team?
A small company has limited maintenance windows and can address only one of several findings this week.
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 report:
1. vpn-gw01
- Exposure: Internet-facing
- Finding: Critical remote code execution
- Notes: Vendor patch available; reboot required
2. db-lab02
- Exposure: Internal only
- Finding: High-severity authentication bypass
- Notes: Isolated lab subnet; no sensitive data; no route to production
3. printsrv03
- Exposure: Internet-facing administrative portal
- Finding: Medium-severity outdated firmware
- Notes: Vendor has not released a fix yet; temporary ACL blocks the admin port from the internet
A
db-lab02, because high-severity findings always outrank medium and critical findings.
Why wrong: Severity alone is not enough; exposure and business impact are critical to prioritization.
B
printsrv03, because it is internet-facing and has no vendor patch available.
Why wrong: Although it is exposed, the temporary ACL reduces risk and there is no immediate fix to apply.
C
vpn-gw01, because it is internet-facing, exploitable now, and a fix is available.
The VPN gateway is the most urgent issue because it is externally reachable, has a critical remote code execution flaw, and a vendor patch already exists. That combination creates high likelihood and high impact. The reboot requirement is inconvenient, but it is still the most actionable and dangerous finding. The other issues are either isolated from production or partially mitigated by compensating controls.
D
None of these, because the team should wait for the next quarterly review before changing anything.
Why wrong: Deferring all work would ignore an exploitable internet-facing critical vulnerability with an available fix.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
vpn-gw01, because it is internet-facing, exploitable now, and a fix is available.
Option C is correct because vpn-gw01 is internet-facing, has an active exploit (CVSS score indicating current exploitation), and a vendor patch is available. In risk management, the highest priority is given to assets that are exposed to the internet, currently exploitable, and have a known fix, as this combination presents the most urgent threat to the organization's security posture.
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.
✗
db-lab02, because high-severity findings always outrank medium and critical findings.
Why it's wrong here
Severity alone is not enough; exposure and business impact are critical to prioritization.
✗
printsrv03, because it is internet-facing and has no vendor patch available.
Why it's wrong here
Although it is exposed, the temporary ACL reduces risk and there is no immediate fix to apply.
✓
vpn-gw01, because it is internet-facing, exploitable now, and a fix is available.
Why this is correct
The VPNgateway is the most urgent issue because it is externally reachable, has a critical remote code execution flaw, and a vendor patch already exists. That combination creates high likelihood and high impact. The reboot requirement is inconvenient, but it is still the most actionable and dangerous finding. The other issues are either isolated from production or partially mitigated by compensating controls.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
None of these, because the team should wait for the next quarterly review before changing anything.
Why it's wrong here
Deferring all work would ignore an exploitable internet-facing critical vulnerability with an available fix.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume severity (e.g., critical vs. high) is the sole determinant of remediation priority, ignoring the critical factors of internet exposure, exploitability, and patch availability that CompTIA emphasizes in risk management scenarios.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In vulnerability management, prioritization often follows a risk-based approach using frameworks like CVSS v3.1, where the environmental score adjusts for asset criticality and exposure. The presence of an active exploit (e.g., a Metasploit module or proof-of-concept code) elevates the urgency, as it indicates a high likelihood of compromise. Real-world scenarios, such as the 2021 Exchange Server vulnerabilities, show that internet-facing assets with active exploits must be patched immediately, even if other findings have higher base severity scores.
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.
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: vpn-gw01, because it is internet-facing, exploitable now, and a fix is available. — Option C is correct because vpn-gw01 is internet-facing, has an active exploit (CVSS score indicating current exploitation), and a vendor patch is available. In risk management, the highest priority is given to assets that are exposed to the internet, currently exploitable, and have a known fix, as this combination presents the most urgent threat to the organization's security posture.
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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