Question 933 of 1,152

Security Architecture →hardMultiple SelectObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is to prune the trunk to only VLANs 30 and 40 and change the native VLAN to an unused ID. This secure trunk configuration directly applies the principle of least privilege by restricting the link to only the required VLANs, which eliminates the risk of an unauthorized guest VLAN being accidentally added later. Changing the native VLAN from the default VLAN 1 to an unused ID is a critical defense against VLAN hopping and mis-tagging attacks, as it prevents an attacker from leveraging the native VLAN to bridge traffic between different VLANs. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of network segmentation and switch security, often appearing in questions about trunk port hardening where the common trap is forgetting that simply changing the native VLAN is not enough—you must also explicitly prune allowed VLANs. Remember the mnemonic “Prune and Move”: prune the allowed list to only what’s needed, and move the native VLAN away from 1.

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 virtualization host connects to an access switch through one Ethernet link. It must carry only VLAN 30 for production VMs and VLAN 40 for management VMs. A review finds the link currently accepts every VLAN, uses VLAN 1 as the native VLAN, and a guest VLAN can accidentally be added later. Which two changes best harden the design? 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.

Question 1hardmulti select

Open the full VLAN trunking answer →

A
Prune the trunk so it carries only VLAN 30 and VLAN 40, not every possible VLAN.
Limiting the trunk to the exact VLANs needed reduces the chance of accidental exposure or unauthorized traffic crossing the link. This is both a security and operational control because it makes the path easier to audit and less likely to carry unplanned networks. Trunk pruning is a straightforward hardening step for segmented environments.
B
Leave the trunk open to all VLANs so future changes require no switch updates.
Why wrong: Allowing every VLAN on the trunk defeats segmentation and makes it easier for misconfigurations or malicious additions to become reachable. Convenience for future changes is not a valid reason to weaken the boundary between production, management, and guest networks. A narrow allowed list is the safer architecture.
C
Change the native VLAN to an unused ID to reduce VLAN-hopping and mis-tagging risk.
Using an unused native VLAN helps avoid accidental traffic landing in VLAN 1 and reduces the impact of tagging mistakes or certain VLAN-hopping scenarios. It also makes misconfiguration easier to spot during review. This is a common hardening choice when a trunk must carry multiple sensitive VLANs.
D
Keep VLAN 1 as the native VLAN because it is the vendor default and easiest to support.
Why wrong: Vendor defaults are rarely the best security choice when hardening a sensitive trunk. Keeping VLAN 1 as native can create ambiguity and increase the chance of unintended traffic landing in a widely used default VLAN. Simplicity does not outweigh the value of an unused native VLAN for isolation.
E
Enable dynamic trunk negotiation on the host link so the virtualization server can discover VLANs automatically.
Why wrong: Dynamic negotiation increases the chance of unintended trunk formation and undermines strict segmentation. In a hardened design, the allowed VLANs should be explicitly defined, not discovered automatically. Automatic negotiation is convenient, but it is not aligned with a controlled production and management link.

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

✓

Prune the trunk so it carries only VLAN 30 and VLAN 40, not every possible VLAN.

Option A is correct because pruning the trunk to carry only VLANs 30 and 40 reduces the attack surface by preventing unauthorized VLANs (like a guest VLAN) from being accidentally added later. This aligns with the principle of least privilege for network segmentation, ensuring only necessary traffic traverses the link.

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.

✓
Prune the trunk so it carries only VLAN 30 and VLAN 40, not every possible VLAN.
Why this is correct
Limiting the trunk to the exact VLANs needed reduces the chance of accidental exposure or unauthorized traffic crossing the link. This is both a security and operational control because it makes the path easier to audit and less likely to carry unplanned networks. Trunk pruning is a straightforward hardening step for segmented environments.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Leave the trunk open to all VLANs so future changes require no switch updates.
Why it's wrong here
Allowing every VLAN on the trunk defeats segmentation and makes it easier for misconfigurations or malicious additions to become reachable. Convenience for future changes is not a valid reason to weaken the boundary between production, management, and guest networks. A narrow allowed list is the safer architecture.
✓
Change the native VLAN to an unused ID to reduce VLAN-hopping and mis-tagging risk.
Why this is correct
Using an unused native VLAN helps avoid accidental traffic landing in VLAN 1 and reduces the impact of tagging mistakes or certain VLAN-hopping scenarios. It also makes misconfiguration easier to spot during review. This is a common hardening choice when a trunk must carry multiple sensitive VLANs.
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 VLAN 1 as the native VLAN because it is the vendor default and easiest to support.
Why it's wrong here
Vendor defaults are rarely the best security choice when hardening a sensitive trunk. Keeping VLAN 1 as native can create ambiguity and increase the chance of unintended traffic landing in a widely used default VLAN. Simplicity does not outweigh the value of an unused native VLAN for isolation.
✗
Enable dynamic trunk negotiation on the host link so the virtualization server can discover VLANs automatically.
Why it's wrong here
Dynamic negotiation increases the chance of unintended trunk formation and undermines strict segmentation. In a hardened design, the allowed VLANs should be explicitly defined, not discovered automatically. Automatic negotiation is convenient, but it is not aligned with a controlled production and management link.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates often assume keeping VLAN 1 as the native VLAN is acceptable because it is the default, but the SY0-701 exam emphasizes changing it to an unused ID to prevent VLAN hopping and mis-tagging risks.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Trunk pruning is typically implemented via the `switchport trunk allowed vlan` command on Cisco switches, which filters VLAN traffic at Layer 2. Changing the native VLAN to an unused ID (e.g., VLAN 999) prevents double-tagging attacks where an attacker frames packets with VLAN 1 tags to bypass trunk security. In real-world scenarios, misconfigured native VLANs are a common vector for VLAN hopping exploits, especially in multi-tenant environments.

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.

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: Prune the trunk so it carries only VLAN 30 and VLAN 40, not every possible VLAN. — Option A is correct because pruning the trunk to carry only VLANs 30 and 40 reduces the attack surface by preventing unauthorized VLANs (like a guest VLAN) from being accidentally added later. This aligns with the principle of least privilege for network segmentation, ensuring only necessary traffic traverses the link.

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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