- A
The medium-severity missing patch on the isolated lab VM.
Why wrong: The lab VM is isolated and has no network access, so its practical risk is much lower than the exposed management interface.
- B
The low-severity outdated browser plug-in on the visitor kiosk.
Why wrong: A low-severity issue on a kiosk is important, but it is less urgent than a high-severity credential exposure on an internet-facing admin system.
- C
The high-severity default credential on the management interface exposed to the internet.
Exposure and exploitability drive priority. A default credential on an internet-reachable management interface presents immediate unauthorized access risk and should be addressed before issues on isolated or lower-risk assets.
- D
All three issues have the same priority because they were found in the same scan cycle.
Why wrong: Findings must be prioritized by risk, exposure, and business impact, not by scan order alone.
Quick Answer
The answer is the high-severity default credential on the management interface exposed to the internet. This is correct because risk-based vulnerability remediation prioritization demands that you address the combination of highest severity and greatest exploitability; default credentials are a known, trivial attack vector, and internet exposure removes any compensating controls, creating an immediate path to full administrative compromise. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your ability to apply risk-based prioritization over raw CVSS scores, as the exam frequently includes traps where a medium or low severity finding with high exposure outweighs a higher-severity finding that is isolated or mitigated. A common memory tip is to think of the “Three E’s”: Exploitability, Exposure, and Effect—if all three are high, remediate first, regardless of the base severity score.
SY0-701 Security Operations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security operations. 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 weekly scan reports three findings: a medium-severity missing patch on a lab VM with no network access, a high-severity default credential on a management interface reachable from the internet, and a low-severity outdated browser plug-in on a visitor kiosk. Which issue should be remediated first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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
The high-severity default credential on the management interface exposed to the internet.
Option C is correct because the high-severity default credential on a management interface reachable from the internet represents an immediate, exploitable risk. Default credentials are well-known and can be used by attackers to gain full administrative control over the device, often leading to a complete compromise of the network. In contrast, the other findings have compensating controls (no network access) or lower impact (outdated browser plug-in), making them lower priority in a risk-based remediation strategy.
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.
- ✗
The medium-severity missing patch on the isolated lab VM.
Why it's wrong here
The lab VM is isolated and has no network access, so its practical risk is much lower than the exposed management interface.
- ✗
The low-severity outdated browser plug-in on the visitor kiosk.
Why it's wrong here
A low-severity issue on a kiosk is important, but it is less urgent than a high-severity credential exposure on an internet-facing admin system.
- ✓
The high-severity default credential on the management interface exposed to the internet.
Why this is correct
Exposure and exploitability drive priority. A default credential on an internet-reachable management interface presents immediate unauthorized access risk and should be addressed before issues on isolated or lower-risk assets.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
All three issues have the same priority because they were found in the same scan cycle.
Why it's wrong here
Findings must be prioritized by risk, exposure, and business impact, not by scan order alone.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates focus solely on the severity label (high vs. medium vs. low) without considering the compensating controls or exposure, leading them to incorrectly rank the missing patch or outdated plug-in as higher priority.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Default credentials are often listed in public databases (e.g., CIRT.net, default-password.info) and are the first thing attackers attempt when scanning for exposed management interfaces. In real-world scenarios, a single default credential on a router or firewall's HTTPS/SSH management interface can lead to full network takeover, whereas an isolated VM patch or outdated browser plug-in requires additional attack steps (e.g., physical access or user interaction) to be exploited. The CVSS scoring system also factors in attack vector (network vs. local) and privileges required, which is why the internet-exposed default credential scores higher even if the patch is labeled 'medium'.
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: The high-severity default credential on the management interface exposed to the internet. — Option C is correct because the high-severity default credential on a management interface reachable from the internet represents an immediate, exploitable risk. Default credentials are well-known and can be used by attackers to gain full administrative control over the device, often leading to a complete compromise of the network. In contrast, the other findings have compensating controls (no network access) or lower impact (outdated browser plug-in), making them lower priority in a risk-based remediation strategy.
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: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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.