Question 390 of 1,152

General Security Concepts →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The correct answer is preventive and detective. The badge and PIN requirement is a preventive control because it actively blocks unauthorized access before it can occur, while the weekly log review is a detective control because it identifies suspicious activity, such as failed attempts, after the fact. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish control types by their timing and purpose—preventive controls stop incidents, detective controls discover them. A common trap is confusing preventive controls (like a badge+PIN) with deterrent controls (like a warning sign), which discourage but don’t physically block. For a quick memory tip, think “Preventive stops the door from opening; Detective reads the log after the knock.”

SY0-701 General Security Concepts Practice Question

This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of general security concepts. 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.

The security team configures the badge system so employees must present both a badge and a PIN before entering the data center. The access logs are reviewed weekly for failed attempts. Which pair of control types best describes these measures?

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.

Question 1mediummultiple choice

Full question →

A
Preventive and detective, because one measure blocks access and the other identifies suspicious activity.
Requiring a badge and PIN is preventive because it attempts to stop unauthorized entry before it happens. Reviewing access logs is detective because it helps identify misuse or attempted misuse after the fact. Together, these controls reduce the likelihood of unauthorized entry while also giving the security team visibility into failed or unusual access attempts. This is a practical layered approach.
B
Corrective and recovery, because the logs can restore access after a badge failure.
Why wrong: Logs do not restore access or repair damage, so this pair does not match the described measures.
C
Deterrent and compensating, because the PIN discourages attackers and the logs replace the badge reader.
Why wrong: The PIN is not primarily a deterrent in this context, and the logs do not compensate for missing physical access controls.
D
Administrative and physical, because the weekly review and the badge reader are both physical measures.
Why wrong: The weekly review is administrative or detective oversight, not a physical security device.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

Preventive and detective, because one measure blocks access and the other identifies suspicious activity.

Option A is correct because the badge and PIN requirement is a preventive control that blocks unauthorized access to the data center, while the weekly review of access logs is a detective control that identifies suspicious activity after the fact. Preventive controls stop incidents before they occur, and detective controls discover violations that have already happened, making this pair the best fit for the described measures.

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.

✓
Preventive and detective, because one measure blocks access and the other identifies suspicious activity.
Why this is correct
Requiring a badge and PIN is preventive because it attempts to stop unauthorized entry before it happens. Reviewing access logs is detective because it helps identify misuse or attempted misuse after the fact. Together, these controls reduce the likelihood of unauthorized entry while also giving the security team visibility into failed or unusual access attempts. This is a practical layered approach.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Corrective and recovery, because the logs can restore access after a badge failure.
Why it's wrong here
Logs do not restore access or repair damage, so this pair does not match the described measures.
✗
Deterrent and compensating, because the PIN discourages attackers and the logs replace the badge reader.
Why it's wrong here
The PIN is not primarily a deterrent in this context, and the logs do not compensate for missing physical access controls.
✗
Administrative and physical, because the weekly review and the badge reader are both physical measures.
Why it's wrong here
The weekly review is administrative or detective oversight, not a physical security device.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is confusing detective controls (which identify past events) with corrective controls (which fix issues), or misclassifying administrative controls (like policy reviews) as physical controls, leading candidates to pick option D.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Preventive controls like badge-and-PIN systems enforce authentication via something you have (badge) and something you know (PIN), implementing two-factor authentication (2FA) at the physical layer. Detective controls such as log review rely on auditing mechanisms (e.g., syslog, SIEM) to analyze failed attempts, which can reveal brute-force patterns or tailgating attempts. In real-world scenarios, combining these controls helps meet compliance frameworks like PCI DSS or ISO 27001, which require both access control and monitoring.

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 SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.

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?

General Security Concepts — This question tests General Security Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Preventive and detective, because one measure blocks access and the other identifies suspicious activity. — Option A is correct because the badge and PIN requirement is a preventive control that blocks unauthorized access to the data center, while the weekly review of access logs is a detective control that identifies suspicious activity after the fact. Preventive controls stop incidents before they occur, and detective controls discover violations that have already happened, making this pair the best fit for the described measures.

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.

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