Question 308 of 1,152

Security Architecture →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The best choice is to place the portal in a DMZ and keep the database on an internal network with firewall rules allowing only required traffic. This design enforces defense-in-depth by physically and logically separating the internet-facing web server from the sensitive database, so even if the portal is compromised, an attacker cannot pivot directly to the database from the internet. The firewall acts as a choke point, permitting only specific ports—like 1433/TCP for SQL Server or 3306/TCP for MySQL—from the DMZ to the internal network, while blocking all unsolicited inbound traffic from reaching the database. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of network segmentation and firewall rule placement, often appearing as a multi-choice question where a common trap is to place both systems in the DMZ or to allow all traffic between them. Remember the memory tip: “DMZ the web, internal the DB, firewall the gap—only the port it needs to tap.”

SY0-701 Security Architecture Practice Question

This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security architecture. 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 company is publishing an internet-facing customer portal that must also query an internal database containing order history. Security wants to reduce the chance that a compromise of the portal exposes the database directly. Which design is the best choice?

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
Place the database in the same subnet as the web server and rely on host-based antivirus.
Why wrong: This keeps systems too close together and does not create a meaningful network trust boundary or exposure reduction.
B
Place the portal in a DMZ and keep the database on an internal network with firewall rules allowing only required traffic.
This creates a clear trust boundary, limits exposure of the database, and restricts traffic to only the necessary application flow.
C
Use NAT so the internal database does not have a public IP address.
Why wrong: NAT hides addressing details, but it does not provide segmentation or prevent a compromised portal from reaching the database.
D
Move both systems behind a VPN and require users to authenticate before visiting the portal.
Why wrong: A VPN is for protected remote access and does not address the architecture of a public-facing service and internal data separation.

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

✓

Place the portal in a DMZ and keep the database on an internal network with firewall rules allowing only required traffic.

Option B is correct because placing the portal in a DMZ and keeping the database on an internal network with firewall rules that permit only required traffic (e.g., specific ports like 1433/TCP for SQL Server or 3306/TCP for MySQL) creates a defense-in-depth architecture. This design ensures that even if the web server is compromised, the attacker cannot directly access the database from the internet, as the internal network is isolated by the firewall and only allows traffic from the DMZ to the database on necessary ports.

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.

✗
Place the database in the same subnet as the web server and rely on host-based antivirus.
Why it's wrong here
This keeps systems too close together and does not create a meaningful network trust boundary or exposure reduction.
✓
Place the portal in a DMZ and keep the database on an internal network with firewall rules allowing only required traffic.
Why this is correct
This creates a clear trust boundary, limits exposure of the database, and restricts traffic to only the necessary application flow.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use NAT so the internal database does not have a public IP address.
Why it's wrong here
NAT hides addressing details, but it does not provide segmentation or prevent a compromised portal from reaching the database.
✗
Move both systems behind a VPN and require users to authenticate before visiting the portal.
Why it's wrong here
A VPN is for protected remote access and does not address the architecture of a public-facing service and internal data separation.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates often confuse NAT with a security control, thinking it hides the database from attackers, but NAT alone provides no access control or network segmentation, so a compromised portal can still reach the database if they share a network.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

In a DMZ architecture, the web server is placed in a perimeter network with restricted inbound access from the internet, while the database resides on an internal network with a firewall rule that only allows outbound connections from the DMZ to the database on specific ports (e.g., TCP 1433 for SQL Server). This leverages stateful firewall inspection to track session state, ensuring that only responses to legitimate queries from the web server are allowed back, and no direct inbound connections from the internet can reach the database. In real-world scenarios, this design is critical for PCI DSS compliance, where cardholder data must be isolated from internet-facing 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 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?

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: Place the portal in a DMZ and keep the database on an internal network with firewall rules allowing only required traffic. — Option B is correct because placing the portal in a DMZ and keeping the database on an internal network with firewall rules that permit only required traffic (e.g., specific ports like 1433/TCP for SQL Server or 3306/TCP for MySQL) creates a defense-in-depth architecture. This design ensures that even if the web server is compromised, the attacker cannot directly access the database from the internet, as the internal network is isolated by the firewall and only allows traffic from the DMZ to the database on necessary ports.

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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