Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
Exhibit
Finance change workflow: Step 1: Create vendor record - AP Clerk Step 2: Enter invoice - AP Clerk Step 3: Approve payment above $5,000 - AP Manager Step 4: Update bank account - Treasury Admin Finding: The shared account finance_ops can perform all four steps, and two employees use the same credentials for convenience.
Based on the exhibit, which principle should the organization enforce to reduce fraud risk while keeping the business process functional?
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
Distractor review
Least privilege, because each employee should only have the fewest permissions needed for the shared account.
Least privilege is important, but the real issue is broader than simply reducing permissions. The problem is that one identity can complete the full payment workflow, which allows a single person to create, approve, and alter payment data. That concentration of power is what creates the fraud risk, so the better principle is separation of duties.
B
Best answer
Separation of duties, because no single user should be able to complete every high-risk finance step alone.
Separation of duties is the best answer because the workflow shows one shared identity can create vendors, enter invoices, approve payments, and change bank details. That concentration enables fraud without a second set of eyes. Splitting those tasks across different roles prevents one person from controlling the entire transaction chain and creates accountability for each critical step.
C
Distractor review
Need-to-know, because only employees with confidential financial data should see the workflow details.
Need-to-know limits access to information, not necessarily to the ability to complete an entire business transaction. The exhibit is about who can perform which finance actions, not who can read a report. Restricting data visibility may help privacy, but it does not address the fraud risk created by one account being able to execute every step.
D
Distractor review
Defense in depth, because the organization should add more security layers around the finance process.
Defense in depth means multiple layers of protection, such as logging, approvals, and monitoring. Those layers can help, but they do not specifically solve the core issue shown in the workflow. The exhibit reveals a role-concentration problem, where one identity can complete the entire process. That is precisely what separation of duties is designed to prevent.
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: Separation of duties, because no single user should be able to complete every high-risk finance step alone. — Separation of duties is the correct principle because the exhibit shows a shared account can complete every sensitive payment step. That arrangement defeats independent checks and makes fraud or accidental misuse much more likely. By assigning vendor creation, invoice entry, payment approval, and bank changes to different roles, the organization ensures no single user can push a fraudulent transaction through end to end. Why others are wrong: Least privilege matters, but it does not fully address the need to split critical finance tasks between different people. Need-to-know is about data access, not transaction authority. Defense in depth adds layers, but the specific control objective here is to prevent one person from owning the whole workflow. The workflow itself points directly to separation of duties.
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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