Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
SIEM alerts show one workstation making SMB connections to 30 internal hosts within 10 minutes, followed by remote service creation and repeated access attempts to admin shares. The workstation also begins authenticating with several privileged accounts. What is the most likely activity?
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.
A
Distractor review
A distributed denial-of-service attack launched from a compromised internal host.
DDoS traffic is usually aimed at overwhelming a target with volume, not lateral administrative access and service creation.
B
Distractor review
DNS tunneling used to exfiltrate data through allowed name-resolution traffic.
DNS tunneling would show unusual DNS patterns, not SMB spread, remote service creation, and privileged account use.
C
Distractor review
ARP spoofing to redirect local traffic at the network layer.
ARP spoofing affects local segment traffic, but it does not explain the widespread host-to-host SMB activity and admin-share behavior.
D
Best answer
Lateral movement after credential compromise or endpoint takeover.
The workstation is behaving like an attacker foothold that is probing internal systems, using administrative shares, and attempting remote service creation. Those are strong signs of lateral movement after credentials or the device itself have been compromised. The privileged-account authentication attempts also suggest the attacker is trying to expand access and reach higher-value systems inside the environment.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Authentication checks who the user is.
- Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
- Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
- AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
- Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
- Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
- Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
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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
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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
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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?
Authentication checks who the user is.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Lateral movement after credential compromise or endpoint takeover. — Lateral movement is the best answer because the host is reaching many internal systems over SMB, attempting remote service creation, and using privileged accounts. That pattern is consistent with an attacker trying to move from one compromised endpoint to others inside the network. The behavior is especially suspicious because it focuses on administrative access rather than simple file transfer or normal user activity. Why others are wrong: A DDoS attack would create a flood toward a target, not authenticated SMB activity and remote service installs. DNS tunneling is typically characterized by unusual DNS query patterns for data exfiltration. ARP spoofing is a local segment attack and would not explain the observed broad host-to-host spread or privileged account use.
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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