SY0-701 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations Practice Question
NetFlow and authentication logs show one workstation opening SMB and WinRM sessions to many internal hosts within ten minutes. The same source also generates a sharp rise in Kerberos service-ticket requests and attempts to access administrative shares. Which three observations most strongly support lateral movement rather than normal admin activity? Select three.
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse normal administrative tasks with malicious lateral movement, but the key differentiator is the rapid, broad, and automated nature of the connections, combined with the specific targeting of administrative shares and Kerberos ticket requests, which are not typical for routine admin work.
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
✓
A rapid burst of SMB and WinRM connections to many internal systems from one source host.
A rapid burst of SMB and WinRM connections from a single workstation to many internal hosts is a classic indicator of lateral movement. Normal administrative activity typically involves targeted, sequential connections to specific systems for maintenance, not a broad, automated sweep. This pattern suggests an attacker using tools like PsExec or PowerShell remoting to propagate across the network.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
A rapid burst of SMB and WinRM connections to many internal systems from one source host.
Why this is correct
A sudden fan-out of administrative protocols from one workstation is a classic sign of lateral movement. Normal admin activity is usually more targeted and scheduled. A burst like this suggests an automated attempt to enumerate, authenticate, or execute remotely across the environment.
- ✓
A sharp increase in Kerberos service-ticket requests from the same workstation.
Why this is correct
A spike in service-ticket activity can indicate remote access attempts to many services or hosts. Attackers commonly trigger unusual Kerberos patterns when moving laterally or probing for valid credentials. It is more suspicious when paired with internal connection bursts and admin-share access.
- ✓
Repeated attempts to access administrative shares such as ADMIN$ or C$.
Why this is correct
Administrative-share access from a workstation that does not normally manage servers is a strong red flag. Attackers often use these shares to drop tools, copy files, or execute commands remotely. This aligns with lateral movement far more than ordinary end-user behavior.
- ✗
Regular outbound DNS lookups for common internet services like time synchronization or content delivery.
Why it's wrong here
Routine DNS traffic to common services is normal background activity and does not suggest lateral movement. Threat hunting should focus on the unusual internal admin protocol patterns and share access, not expected internet service resolution.
- ✗
A successful sign-in to the user's cloud email account from the employee's home network at lunchtime.
Why it's wrong here
A normal cloud login from a familiar network and time is not strong evidence of lateral movement inside the enterprise. It may merit routine monitoring, but it does not explain the internal SMB, WinRM, and Kerberos anomalies seen in the logs.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Network-Based Attacks
Key term
Lateral movement
Lateral movement is the technique attackers use to move through a network from one compromised system to another, seeking sensitive data or higher privileges.
Key term
SMB
SMB is a network file-sharing protocol that allows applications to read, write, and request services from server programs in a computer network.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.