- A
Move finance devices to the guest Wi-Fi network so they are separated from employees.
Why wrong: Guest Wi-Fi is usually less trusted and is not an appropriate zone for business systems needing controlled access.
- B
Create separate VLANs for finance and user devices, then apply inter-VLAN ACLs to allow only required application and printer traffic.
Separate VLANs provide segmentation, and inter-VLAN ACLs enforce which systems may communicate. This limits lateral movement while still allowing the finance team to reach approved shared resources such as the finance application and printer.
- C
Keep the flat LAN but require stronger passwords on finance PCs and shared folders.
Why wrong: Stronger passwords help account security, but they do not stop a compromised host from scanning or attacking other systems on the same network.
- D
Place all devices in one VLAN and rely on endpoint antivirus to stop spread.
Why wrong: Endpoint antivirus is important, but it does not replace network segmentation for reducing lateral movement and controlling traffic paths.
Quick Answer
The answer is to create separate VLANs for finance and user devices, then apply inter-VLAN ACLs to allow only required application and printer traffic. This design is correct because VLANs segment the flat LAN into isolated broadcast domains, directly preventing lateral movement from a compromised user workstation to finance systems, while inter-VLAN ACLs act as a stateful filter to enforce least privilege by permitting only specific traffic like TCP 1433 for the finance app and TCP 9100 for the printer. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of network segmentation as a core defense against east-west threats, often appearing in questions about isolating sensitive assets without breaking needed access. A common trap is choosing a firewall alone, which doesn’t address the broadcast domain isolation that VLANs provide, or using a DMZ, which is for public-facing servers. Remember the mnemonic “VLANs block the blast, ACLs let the task pass” to recall that VLANs stop lateral spread while ACLs permit only required traffic.
SY0-701 Security Architecture Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security architecture. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 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?
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
Create separate VLANs for finance and user devices, then apply inter-VLAN ACLs to allow only required application and printer traffic.
Option B is correct because creating separate VLANs segments the flat LAN into isolated broadcast domains, preventing lateral movement from compromised user workstations to finance systems. Inter-VLAN ACLs then act as a stateful firewall, permitting only the specific traffic (e.g., TCP 1433 for SQL-based finance app, TCP 9100 for printer) while blocking all other inter-VLAN communication. This aligns with the principle of least privilege and network segmentation, directly addressing the requirement to isolate finance workstations without disrupting their needed access.
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.
- ✗
Move finance devices to the guest Wi-Fi network so they are separated from employees.
Why it's wrong here
Guest Wi-Fi is usually less trusted and is not an appropriate zone for business systems needing controlled access.
- ✓
Create separate VLANs for finance and user devices, then apply inter-VLAN ACLs to allow only required application and printer traffic.
Why this is correct
Separate VLANs provide segmentation, and inter-VLAN ACLs enforce which systems may communicate. This limits lateral movement while still allowing the finance team to reach approved shared resources such as the finance application and printer.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Keep the flat LAN but require stronger passwords on finance PCs and shared folders.
Why it's wrong here
Stronger passwords help account security, but they do not stop a compromised host from scanning or attacking other systems on the same network.
- ✗
Place all devices in one VLAN and rely on endpoint antivirus to stop spread.
Why it's wrong here
Endpoint antivirus is important, but it does not replace network segmentation for reducing lateral movement and controlling traffic paths.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think stronger passwords or guest Wi-Fi solve the isolation problem, but CompTIA tests the understanding that network segmentation via VLANs and ACLs is the only method that both prevents lateral movement and preserves specific required access.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
VLANs operate at Layer 2 by tagging Ethernet frames with 802.1Q headers, creating separate broadcast domains on the same physical switch. Inter-VLAN routing typically occurs at a Layer 3 switch or router, where ACLs can filter traffic based on source/destination IP, port, and protocol—for example, permitting only TCP/1433 (MSSQL) from finance VLAN to app server VLAN and TCP/9100 (raw printing) to printer VLAN. In a real-world scenario, this design also prevents broadcast storms and simplifies compliance with PCI-DSS or SOX by isolating sensitive systems.
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.
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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: Create separate VLANs for finance and user devices, then apply inter-VLAN ACLs to allow only required application and printer traffic. — Option B is correct because creating separate VLANs segments the flat LAN into isolated broadcast domains, preventing lateral movement from compromised user workstations to finance systems. Inter-VLAN ACLs then act as a stateful firewall, permitting only the specific traffic (e.g., TCP 1433 for SQL-based finance app, TCP 9100 for printer) while blocking all other inter-VLAN communication. This aligns with the principle of least privilege and network segmentation, directly addressing the requirement to isolate finance workstations without disrupting their needed access.
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
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 →
Same concept, more angles
3 more ways this is tested on SY0-701
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A branch office has users, finance workstations, printers, and IP phones on one flat LAN. After a malware outbreak on a user PC, management wants to limit lateral movement without blocking printing or voice traffic. What should the network team implement?
medium- A.Move all devices into one larger subnet and rely on endpoint antivirus for separation.
- ✓ B.Create separate VLANs for device groups and apply inter-VLAN ACLs that permit only required traffic.
- C.Place all devices behind a single proxy server and block all internal east-west traffic.
- D.Enable port security on the switch and disable all VLAN tagging to reduce complexity.
Why B: Option B is correct because segmenting devices into separate VLANs (e.g., users, finance, printers, IP phones) and applying inter-VLAN ACLs restricts lateral movement by default while permitting only necessary traffic like printing (TCP 9100) and voice (RTP/UDP 16384-32767). This aligns with the principle of least privilege and zero trust segmentation, preventing malware from spreading across the flat LAN without disrupting critical services.
Variation 2. A branch office has users, finance workstations, printers, and IP phones on one flat network. The security team wants to reduce lateral movement if one user PC is compromised, but printers still need to receive print jobs from users. What is the best design change?
medium- A.Keep one flat network and increase endpoint antivirus scanning frequency.
- ✓ B.Place finance systems and user devices in separate VLANs and allow only the necessary print and business application traffic through filtering rules.
- C.Move all printers into the finance VLAN to avoid managing inter-VLAN rules.
- D.Disable printing so user workstations cannot communicate with any other device.
Why B: Option B is correct because segmenting the flat network into separate VLANs for finance systems and user devices enforces network segmentation, which limits lateral movement. By using VLANs and firewall rules to allow only necessary traffic (e.g., print jobs via IPP or SMB, and business application traffic), the organization reduces the attack surface while maintaining required functionality. This aligns with the principle of least privilege and zero trust architecture.
Variation 3. A branch office has users, finance workstations, and printers on the same LAN. Management wants finance devices isolated from general users while still allowing approved printing and internet access. Which two changes best meet this goal? Select two.
easy- ✓ A.Put finance systems in a separate VLAN.
- ✓ B.Use firewall or ACL rules between the VLANs.
- C.Remove the default gateway from all finance devices.
- D.Place all systems in one flat subnet.
- E.Use hubs instead of switches to simplify traffic flow.
Why A: Placing finance systems in a separate VLAN (Option A) segments the LAN into isolated broadcast domains, preventing general users from directly accessing finance workstations at Layer 2. This is a foundational step for network segmentation, as VLANs logically separate traffic without requiring physical re-cabling.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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