- A
Monitor physical badge access at the provider facility.
Why wrong: Physical facility controls belong to the provider in this IaaS scenario, not the customer.
- B
Apply OS patches and harden services running inside the virtual machine.
In IaaS, the customer still manages the guest operating system and applications, including patching and hardening.
- C
Replace the provider's network backbone with a private carrier circuit.
Why wrong: The customer can choose connectivity options, but does not own or replace the provider's backbone.
- D
Ensure the hypervisor is updated before every release cycle.
Why wrong: Hypervisor maintenance is a provider responsibility in a typical IaaS shared responsibility model.
Question 888 of 1,152
SY0-701 Security Architecture Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security architecture. 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.
A development team deploys a Linux web server on an IaaS cloud VM. The cloud provider secures the datacenter, hardware, and hypervisor. Which control remains the organization's responsibility?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Apply OS patches and harden services running inside the virtual machine.
In an IaaS model, the provider handles the physical infrastructure, storage, networking foundation, and hypervisor layer. The customer remains responsible for what runs on the VM, including the guest operating system, services, configuration, and application patching. Hardening the server inside the VM is therefore the correct answer because it is one of the core customer responsibilities in this cloud model. Why others are wrong: Physical badge access and hypervisor patching are provider duties in IaaS, so the customer cannot rely on those as their own control. Replacing the provider backbone is outside the scope of the customer’s operational responsibility and is not how shared responsibility works. The question asks for the organization’s remaining duty, which is securing the guest OS and its applications.
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.
- ✗
Monitor physical badge access at the provider facility.
Why it's wrong here
Physical facility controls belong to the provider in this IaaS scenario, not the customer.
- ✓
Apply OS patches and harden services running inside the virtual machine.
Why this is correct
In IaaS, the customer still manages the guest operating system and applications, including patching and hardening.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Replace the provider's network backbone with a private carrier circuit.
Why it's wrong here
The customer can choose connectivity options, but does not own or replace the provider's backbone.
- ✗
Ensure the hypervisor is updated before every release cycle.
Why it's wrong here
Hypervisor maintenance is a provider responsibility in a typical IaaS shared responsibility model.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Physical facility controls belong to the provider in this IaaS scenario, not the customer.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which SY0-701 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Security Architecture — This question tests Security Architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Apply OS patches and harden services running inside the virtual machine. — In an IaaS model, the provider handles the physical infrastructure, storage, networking foundation, and hypervisor layer. The customer remains responsible for what runs on the VM, including the guest operating system, services, configuration, and application patching. Hardening the server inside the VM is therefore the correct answer because it is one of the core customer responsibilities in this cloud model. Why others are wrong: Physical badge access and hypervisor patching are provider duties in IaaS, so the customer cannot rely on those as their own control. Replacing the provider backbone is outside the scope of the customer’s operational responsibility and is not how shared responsibility works. The question asks for the organization’s remaining duty, which is securing the guest OS and its applications.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 question wrong?
Identify which SY0-701 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: May 17, 2026
This SY0-701 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SY0-701 exam.
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