- A
A rogue DHCP server is issuing unauthorized lease information.
Clients are receiving leases from an unknown MAC address, which strongly suggests an unauthorized DHCP server on the network. A rogue server can hand out incorrect gateway, DNS, or lease settings and quickly disrupt connectivity. That makes it a direct match for the observed lease behavior.
- B
DNS spoofing or poisoning is directing users to the wrong host.
If DNS responses for an internal host resolve to an address owned by the suspicious device, name resolution has been manipulated. That is the hallmark of DNS spoofing or poisoning. The attacker is intentionally causing clients to trust false name-to-address mappings, which can redirect traffic or capture credentials.
- C
A SYN flood is exhausting the DHCP service.
Why wrong: A SYN flood targets TCP connection handling and would be visible as many incomplete handshakes, not as unauthorized DHCP leases or altered DNS responses. DHCP is a separate protocol, and the symptoms described are about address assignment and name resolution, not session exhaustion on a TCP listener.
- D
A port scan is enumerating exposed services on the branch subnet.
Why wrong: Port scanning typically creates many connection attempts across a range of ports or hosts. It does not explain clients getting bad DHCP offers or DNS answers from a suspicious device. The issue here is identity and resolution of network services, not service enumeration.
- E
Password spraying is attempting many logins with common passwords.
Why wrong: Password spraying affects authentication logs, usually across identity providers, VPNs, or SaaS platforms. It has no direct relationship to DHCP leases or DNS replies. Those protocols are involved in network configuration and naming, so password spraying is not the best explanation for this evidence.
Quick Answer
The answer is DNS spoofing or poisoning and a rogue DHCP server attack. A rogue DHCP server on the network issues unauthorized IP configurations from an unknown MAC address, which matches the DHCP log evidence and causes intermittent connectivity as clients receive conflicting settings. This rogue server can then supply a malicious DNS server address, enabling DNS spoofing where internal site requests like intranet.example are redirected to an attacker-controlled IP. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how DHCP and DNS attacks chain together—a common trap is focusing only on the DHCP logs and missing the DNS redirection. Remember the mnemonic “Rogue Routes, Poison Points”: a rogue DHCP server routes clients to a poisoned DNS server that points them to the wrong host.
SY0-701 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations. 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 branch office reports intermittent failures reaching internal sites. DHCP logs show clients receiving leases from an unknown MAC address, and DNS responses for intranet.example resolve to an address owned by the same device. Which two attacks best match the evidence? Select two.
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
A rogue DHCP server is issuing unauthorized lease information.
A rogue DHCP server on the network can issue unauthorized lease information, causing clients to receive IP configurations from an unknown MAC address. This matches the DHCP log evidence and can lead to intermittent connectivity issues as clients receive conflicting or incorrect network settings.
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.
- ✓
A rogue DHCP server is issuing unauthorized lease information.
Why this is correct
Clients are receiving leases from an unknown MAC address, which strongly suggests an unauthorized DHCP server on the network. A rogue server can hand out incorrect gateway, DNS, or lease settings and quickly disrupt connectivity. That makes it a direct match for the observed lease behavior.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
DNS spoofing or poisoning is directing users to the wrong host.
Why this is correct
If DNS responses for an internal host resolve to an address owned by the suspicious device, name resolution has been manipulated. That is the hallmark of DNS spoofing or poisoning. The attacker is intentionally causing clients to trust false name-to-address mappings, which can redirect traffic or capture credentials.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A SYN flood is exhausting the DHCP service.
Why it's wrong here
A SYN flood targets TCP connection handling and would be visible as many incomplete handshakes, not as unauthorized DHCP leases or altered DNS responses. DHCP is a separate protocol, and the symptoms described are about address assignment and name resolution, not session exhaustion on a TCP listener.
- ✗
A port scan is enumerating exposed services on the branch subnet.
- ✗
Password spraying is attempting many logins with common passwords.
Why it's wrong here
Password spraying affects authentication logs, usually across identity providers, VPNs, or SaaS platforms. It has no direct relationship to DHCP leases or DNS replies. Those protocols are involved in network configuration and naming, so password spraying is not the best explanation for this evidence.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse DHCP starvation (which exhausts the legitimate pool) with a rogue DHCP server, but the evidence of unknown MAC addresses in leases directly points to an unauthorized server, not resource exhaustion.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A rogue DHCP server typically responds faster than the legitimate server, causing clients to accept its lease via DHCP's 'first-offer' behavior. DNS spoofing or poisoning can be achieved by the same rogue device responding to DNS queries with forged replies, redirecting intranet.example to its own IP. In real-world scenarios, an attacker might combine these to perform man-in-the-middle attacks, intercepting traffic for internal resources.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — This question tests Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A rogue DHCP server is issuing unauthorized lease information. — A rogue DHCP server on the network can issue unauthorized lease information, causing clients to receive IP configurations from an unknown MAC address. This matches the DHCP log evidence and can lead to intermittent connectivity issues as clients receive conflicting or incorrect network settings.
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
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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.
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