- A
Replace the transfer form with a stored procedure
Why wrong: Stored procedures help reduce SQL injection risk, but they do not stop unwanted cross-site request submission.
- B
Add a server-validated anti-CSRF token to each state-changing request
An anti-CSRF token is the best control because it ties the request to the legitimate application session and makes it difficult for an attacker-controlled site to forge the request successfully. State-changing actions such as transfers should validate a unique token on the server side, ideally with other browser protections like SameSite cookies. This directly addresses cross-site request forgery.
- C
Enable input length limits on the transfer amount field
Why wrong: Input length limits can improve validation, but they do not prevent an attacker from submitting a forged request from another site.
- D
Turn on content security policy to block all script execution
Why wrong: Content security policy helps reduce some browser-based attacks such as XSS, but it does not reliably stop CSRF by itself.
Quick Answer
The answer is to add a server-validated anti-CSRF token to each state-changing request. This control directly mitigates Cross-Site Request Forgery because the malicious site cannot guess or obtain the unique, session-bound token that the server requires for every transfer submission; without the token, the forged request is rejected even if the victim’s session cookie is automatically attached by the browser. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of CSRF mitigation versus other controls like same-site cookies or referer headers—common traps include confusing CSRF with XSS or choosing multi-factor authentication, which protects authentication but not subsequent authorized actions. Remember the key distinction: cookies authenticate the user, but anti-CSRF tokens authenticate the request itself. A useful memory tip is “Token for the action, cookie for the session”—if only the cookie is present, the request is vulnerable.
SY0-701 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations. 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 customer portal has a form that submits a money-transfer request with the user’s existing session cookie. Security testing shows that if a user visits a malicious site while logged in, the portal will submit the transfer request without any additional verification. Which control would best reduce this risk?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Add a server-validated anti-CSRF token to each state-changing request
The described attack is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF), where a malicious site forces an authenticated user's browser to submit a state-changing request without the user's consent. Adding a server-validated anti-CSRF token ensures that each request includes a unique, unpredictable value tied to the user's session, which the server verifies before processing. This prevents the malicious site from forging a valid request because it cannot guess or obtain the token.
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.
- ✗
Replace the transfer form with a stored procedure
Why it's wrong here
Stored procedures help reduce SQL injection risk, but they do not stop unwanted cross-site request submission.
- ✓
Add a server-validated anti-CSRF token to each state-changing request
Why this is correct
An anti-CSRF token is the best control because it ties the request to the legitimate application session and makes it difficult for an attacker-controlled site to forge the request successfully. State-changing actions such as transfers should validate a unique token on the server side, ideally with other browser protections like SameSite cookies. This directly addresses cross-site request forgery.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable input length limits on the transfer amount field
Why it's wrong here
Input length limits can improve validation, but they do not prevent an attacker from submitting a forged request from another site.
- ✗
Turn on content security policy to block all script execution
Why it's wrong here
Content security policy helps reduce some browser-based attacks such as XSS, but it does not reliably stop CSRF by itself.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse CSRF with XSS or session hijacking, and incorrectly choose input validation or stored procedures, not realizing that the core vulnerability is the lack of origin verification for state-changing requests.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
An anti-CSRF token is typically generated as a cryptographically random value stored in the user's session and embedded as a hidden field in the form. The server compares the submitted token against the session-stored token; if they don't match, the request is rejected. This works because the Same-Origin Policy prevents the malicious site from reading the token from the legitimate site's response, and the token is not automatically sent with cross-origin requests like cookies are.
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 analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — This question tests Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add a server-validated anti-CSRF token to each state-changing request — The described attack is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF), where a malicious site forces an authenticated user's browser to submit a state-changing request without the user's consent. Adding a server-validated anti-CSRF token ensures that each request includes a unique, unpredictable value tied to the user's session, which the server verifies before processing. This prevents the malicious site from forging a valid request because it cannot guess or obtain the token.
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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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: Jun 11, 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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