- A
Immediately isolate the Linux server from the network and begin recovery.
Why wrong: Isolation may be necessary if compromise is confirmed, but it does not validate the event first.
- B
Correlate the event with the approved maintenance ticket and automation job logs.
Matching the authentication pattern to a change ticket and automation logs is the best validation step. It confirms whether the repeated failures and successful login were produced by an approved task rather than malicious activity. This is the most efficient way to distinguish a true positive from an expected operational event without disrupting a legitimate maintenance process.
- C
Reset the service account password before reviewing any additional evidence.
Why wrong: Changing credentials may be necessary after confirmation, but it does not answer whether the alert was expected.
- D
Disable SSH on the server until the next patch cycle is complete.
Why wrong: Disabling SSH is a broad control that could break maintenance access and is not the first validation step.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to correlate the event with the approved maintenance ticket and automation job logs. This is because analyzing failed SSH logins followed by success requires distinguishing between malicious brute-force attempts and legitimate automation retries; a configuration-management tool like Ansible or Puppet often generates failed authentication attempts before a successful login as it cycles through credentials or waits for the service to become available. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your ability to apply the incident response process and understand authentication logs within a business context, with the common trap being to immediately flag any failed logins as malicious without considering scheduled activity. The key memory tip is “Maintenance before Malice”—always verify the maintenance window and automation logs first to determine if the alert is a true positive or a false positive.
SY0-701 Security Operations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security operations. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
During morning SIEM review, an analyst sees 37 failed SSH logins followed by a successful login to a Linux server from a jump host. The account belongs to a configuration-management service account, and the activity occurred inside the normal maintenance window. What should the analyst do next to determine whether the alert is a true positive or a false positive?
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
Correlate the event with the approved maintenance ticket and automation job logs.
Option B is correct because the analyst should correlate the failed SSH logins with the approved maintenance ticket and automation job logs to verify if the activity is expected. The failed logins followed by a successful login from a jump host during a maintenance window are consistent with a configuration-management tool (e.g., Ansible, Puppet) retrying authentication. This correlation confirms whether the alert is a true positive (unauthorized access) or a false positive (routine automation).
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.
- ✗
Immediately isolate the Linux server from the network and begin recovery.
Why it's wrong here
Isolation may be necessary if compromise is confirmed, but it does not validate the event first.
- ✓
Correlate the event with the approved maintenance ticket and automation job logs.
Why this is correct
Matching the authentication pattern to a change ticket and automation logs is the best validation step. It confirms whether the repeated failures and successful login were produced by an approved task rather than malicious activity. This is the most efficient way to distinguish a true positive from an expected operational event without disrupting a legitimate maintenance process.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Reset the service account password before reviewing any additional evidence.
Why it's wrong here
Changing credentials may be necessary after confirmation, but it does not answer whether the alert was expected.
- ✗
Disable SSH on the server until the next patch cycle is complete.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling SSH is a broad control that could break maintenance access and is not the first validation step.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume any failed logins followed by a success indicate a brute-force attack, but the context of a maintenance window and a service account points to legitimate automation retries, not malicious activity.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Configuration-management tools like Ansible or Puppet often use SSH with key-based authentication and may retry failed connections due to network latency or transient errors, generating multiple failed login events before a success. In a SIEM, correlating the source IP (jump host), account name, and timestamp with a change management ticket (e.g., ServiceNow) and automation logs (e.g., Ansible Tower job runs) provides definitive evidence. This aligns with the NIST SP 800-61 incident response methodology, which emphasizes verification before containment.
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.
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.
- →
Security Operations — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Security Operations practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All SY0-701 questions
1,152 questions across all exam domains
- →
Security+ SY0-701 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
SY0-701 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related SY0-701 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
General Security Concepts practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to General Security Concepts.
Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations.
Security Architecture practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security Architecture.
Security Operations practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security Operations.
Security Program Management and Oversight practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security Program Management and Oversight.
Security+ social engineering questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ social engineering questions.
Security+ cryptography practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ cryptography.
Security+ IAM questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ IAM questions.
Security+ risk management questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ risk management questions.
Security+ incident response questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ incident response questions.
Security+ malware questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ malware questions.
Security+ vulnerability management questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ vulnerability management questions.
Practice this exam
Start a free SY0-701 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
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: Correlate the event with the approved maintenance ticket and automation job logs. — Option B is correct because the analyst should correlate the failed SSH logins with the approved maintenance ticket and automation job logs to verify if the activity is expected. The failed logins followed by a successful login from a jump host during a maintenance window are consistent with a configuration-management tool (e.g., Ansible, Puppet) retrying authentication. This correlation confirms whether the alert is a true positive (unauthorized access) or a false positive (routine automation).
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More SY0-701 practice questions
- An HR analyst must send a salary file to an external auditor. The auditor only needs names, departments, and salary tota…
- An investigator receives a suspect laptop drive that may be used in court. Which approach best supports a forensically s…
- An investigator must collect data from a suspected insider-threat laptop so the evidence could be used in an HR and lega…
- An NDR tool shows a production web server sending small, periodic DNS queries to random-looking subdomains under a domai…
- An investigator needs to make a forensic image of a suspect laptop without changing the original drive contents. Which t…
- An operations team manages Linux servers over SSH. The security team wants to stop direct management access from employe…
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.