The answer is need-to-know, because the share permissions grant the entire Finance Department access to valuation models, but only employees actively building those models require that information to perform their jobs. This directly violates the need-to-know principle, which restricts access to data strictly on a per-job-function basis, whereas least privilege limits permissions to the minimum necessary for a user’s role—here, the violation isn’t about too much permission (least privilege) but about irrelevant access. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this distinction is a common trap: test takers often confuse need-to-know with least privilege, but need-to-know focuses on who needs the data for a specific task, while least privilege focuses on the minimum rights to perform a role. A quick memory tip: think “need-to-know = data relevance,” “least privilege = permission level.”
SY0-701 General Security Concepts Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of general security concepts. 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
Share review: \\filesrv\Acquisition
ACL:
- Finance Dept: Modify
- M&A Steering Team: Full Control
- Audit Group: Read
Notes:
- Only three deal leads need access to target valuation models.
- Other finance staff only need invoice-tracking files.
- Valuation models are stored in the same folder as general deal documents.
Based on the exhibit, which principle is most directly being violated by the current share permissions?
Share review: \\filesrv\Acquisition
ACL:
- Finance Dept: Modify
- M&A Steering Team: Full Control
- Audit Group: Read
Notes:
- Only three deal leads need access to target valuation models.
- Other finance staff only need invoice-tracking files.
- Valuation models are stored in the same folder as general deal documents.
A
Least privilege, because the broad Finance Dept access exceeds what many users require.
Why wrong: Least privilege is related, but the exhibit’s wording points to limiting access to specific sensitive information, not just reducing permission scope. The Finance Dept membership itself is broader than necessary, yet the most precise principle for valuation models is who truly needs to know that information.
B
Need-to-know, because only the people working on valuation models should access them.
Need-to-know applies because the exhibit says only three deal leads require the valuation models, while other finance staff only need unrelated invoice-tracking files. The principle focuses on restricting access to information based on necessity, even when users are part of a broader trusted group.
C
Zero trust, because the share should refuse access until every file request is reauthenticated.
Why wrong: Zero trust is about continuous verification and distrust by default, but the exhibit is specifically about which people should see a particular set of documents. The more exact issue is limiting disclosure of sensitive information to those who actually need it for their assigned task.
D
Defense in depth, because the folder should have several separate layers of encryption.
Why wrong: Defense in depth means layering protections, but the problem shown here is overbroad access to confidential valuation material. The share permissions expose more users than necessary, so the best fit is information restriction by necessity rather than simply adding more protective layers.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Need-to-know, because only the people working on valuation models should access them.
The exhibit shows share permissions granting 'Finance Dept' full control over a folder containing valuation models. The need-to-know principle restricts access to only those individuals who require the information to perform their job functions. Since not all Finance Dept members work on valuation models, granting the entire department access violates need-to-know, as only the specific users building those models should have access.
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.
✗
Least privilege, because the broad Finance Dept access exceeds what many users require.
Why it's wrong here
Least privilege is related, but the exhibit’s wording points to limiting access to specific sensitive information, not just reducing permission scope. The Finance Dept membership itself is broader than necessary, yet the most precise principle for valuation models is who truly needs to know that information.
✓
Need-to-know, because only the people working on valuation models should access them.
Why this is correct
Need-to-know applies because the exhibit says only three deal leads require the valuation models, while other finance staff only need unrelated invoice-tracking files. The principle focuses on restricting access to information based on necessity, even when users are part of a broader trusted group.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Zero trust, because the share should refuse access until every file request is reauthenticated.
Why it's wrong here
Zero trust is about continuous verification and distrust by default, but the exhibit is specifically about which people should see a particular set of documents. The more exact issue is limiting disclosure of sensitive information to those who actually need it for their assigned task.
✗
Defense in depth, because the folder should have several separate layers of encryption.
Why it's wrong here
Defense in depth means layering protections, but the problem shown here is overbroad access to confidential valuation material. The share permissions expose more users than necessary, so the best fit is information restriction by necessity rather than simply adding more protective layers.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing least privilege (which limits permission levels) with need-to-know (which limits data access based on job function), leading candidates to choose A when the real violation is granting access to users who have no business need for the data.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Defense in depth means layering protections, but the problem shown here is overbroad access to confidential valuation material. The share permissions expose more users than necessary, so the best fit is information restriction by necessity rather than simply adding more protective layers.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Need-to-know is a subset of least privilege that specifically limits access to data based on an individual's direct work requirements, often enforced via Access Control Lists (ACLs) on NTFS or share permissions. In Windows environments, share permissions are applied at the folder level and can be overridden by NTFS permissions, but a broad 'Finance Dept' group membership bypasses granular control. A real-world scenario is a financial audit where an analyst accidentally accesses proprietary valuation models because the entire department was granted access, leading to regulatory non-compliance under frameworks like SOX or GDPR.
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 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.
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: Need-to-know, because only the people working on valuation models should access them. — The exhibit shows share permissions granting 'Finance Dept' full control over a folder containing valuation models. The need-to-know principle restricts access to only those individuals who require the information to perform their job functions. Since not all Finance Dept members work on valuation models, granting the entire department access violates need-to-know, as only the specific users building those models should have access.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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