Several company laptops were found to boot from a removable drive containing an untrusted pre-boot utility before the operating system loaded. The security team wants to prevent unsigned or tampered boot code from starting. Which control is the best fit?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
Best answer
Enable Secure Boot in firmware and block external boot devices where possible.
Secure Boot checks boot components against trusted signatures before they are allowed to run, which directly addresses tampered or untrusted pre-boot code. Disabling external boot adds another layer by reducing the chance of unauthorized removable media being used to bypass protections.
Distractor review
Turn on screen lock after ten minutes of inactivity.
Screen locking protects an unlocked session, but it does nothing to stop malicious code from loading before the operating system starts.
Distractor review
Increase the password complexity policy for user accounts.
Stronger passwords help account security, but they do not prevent a device from booting an untrusted loader.
Distractor review
Disable Windows Defender notifications on the endpoints.
Suppressing alerts reduces visibility and does not mitigate the underlying firmware or boot-chain problem.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A laptop is suspected of being used in a malware incident. It is still powered on and connected to Wi-Fi. What should the responder do before shutting it down?
Question 2
An employee reports a ransomware note on a file server. The server is still powered on, shares are still being accessed, and management wants service restored as quickly as possible. What should the incident response team do first?
Question 3
An employee reports a ransomware note on a finance laptop. The laptop is still powered on, connected to Wi-Fi, and the user says they were just working in a spreadsheet. Management wants the fastest safe response that also preserves evidence. What should the responder do first?
Question 4
You are handed a company laptop suspected in an insider theft case. Legal says the evidence may be needed in court. Which action best preserves admissibility?
Question 5
A developer wants to reduce the risk of SQL injection in a new customer search form. Which two changes are the best mitigations? Select two.
Question 6
A branch office uses a flat LAN, and a compromise on one user workstation could spread quickly to finance systems. Management wants finance workstations isolated from general users, but finance staff still need access to a central finance application and network printer. What is the best design change?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable Secure Boot in firmware and block external boot devices where possible. — Secure Boot is designed to verify the integrity of the boot chain before the operating system starts. That makes it the most direct defense against unsigned or altered pre-boot code. Blocking external boot devices strengthens the control by limiting an attacker’s ability to bypass the installed OS. Together, these settings are a common hardening choice for laptops and desktops that need protection against boot-level tampering. Why others are wrong: Option B only protects an active session. Option C improves authentication but not boot integrity. Option D can make monitoring worse and does not stop the unauthorized boot path.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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