- A
An IDS placed on the same network segment as the web server.
Why wrong: An IDS can alert on suspicious traffic, but it generally does not block malicious web requests inline.
- B
A DLP appliance between users and the portal.
Why wrong: DLP is designed to prevent sensitive data leakage, not to inspect and block application-layer injection attacks.
- C
A WAF in front of the application.
A web application firewall is built to inspect HTTP and HTTPS traffic at the application layer and block common web attacks such as SQL injection and XSS. It can protect a public portal without requiring code changes, making it a practical compensating control while the application team improves secure coding. This is the best fit when the goal is to stop malicious web payloads before they reach the app.
- D
A NAC solution on the switch ports feeding the portal.
Why wrong: NAC controls device access to the network, but it does not inspect web request content for injection attempts.
Quick Answer
The answer is a Web Application Firewall (WAF). A WAF is the correct choice because it operates inline at Layer 7, inspecting HTTP and HTTPS requests to block malicious payloads like SQL injection and cross-site scripting while allowing legitimate traffic to pass through without requiring any changes to the application code. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between controls that passively monitor (IDS), actively block at the network layer (IPS), and those that specifically protect web applications at the application layer. A common trap is confusing an IPS with a WAF—remember that an IPS inspects IP packets and can block based on signatures, but it lacks the deep HTTP parsing needed to catch SQLi or XSS payloads. For a quick memory tip, think “WAF = Web App Firewall, Layer 7, no code changes needed.”
SY0-701 Security Operations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security operations. 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.
The web team is placing a public customer portal behind a control that can inspect HTTP requests, block malicious payloads such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting, and still allow legitimate application traffic without rewriting the app. Which control should they deploy?
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 WAF in front of the application.
A Web Application Firewall (WAF) is specifically designed to inspect HTTP/HTTPS traffic at the application layer (Layer 7), filtering out malicious payloads like SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS) while allowing legitimate requests to pass through. Unlike an IDS, a WAF operates inline and can actively block threats without requiring modifications to the application code, making it the ideal choice for protecting a public-facing web portal.
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.
- ✗
An IDS placed on the same network segment as the web server.
Why it's wrong here
An IDS can alert on suspicious traffic, but it generally does not block malicious web requests inline.
- ✗
A DLP appliance between users and the portal.
Why it's wrong here
DLP is designed to prevent sensitive data leakage, not to inspect and block application-layer injection attacks.
- ✓
A WAF in front of the application.
Why this is correct
A web application firewall is built to inspect HTTP and HTTPS traffic at the application layer and block common web attacks such as SQL injection and XSS. It can protect a public portal without requiring code changes, making it a practical compensating control while the application team improves secure coding. This is the best fit when the goal is to stop malicious web payloads before they reach the app.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A NAC solution on the switch ports feeding the portal.
Why it's wrong here
NAC controls device access to the network, but it does not inspect web request content for injection attempts.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse an IDS (which only detects) with a WAF (which actively blocks), or they mistakenly think a DLP appliance can filter web application attacks, when in fact DLP focuses on data in motion or at rest, not on application-layer payload inspection.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A WAF operates by parsing HTTP requests and applying a set of rules (often based on the OWASP ModSecurity Core Rule Set) to detect patterns like ' OR 1=1-- (SQL injection) or <script>alert(1)</script> (XSS). It can be deployed as a reverse proxy, terminating TLS and inspecting decrypted traffic, which is critical because many attacks are hidden in encrypted payloads. In a real-world scenario, a WAF can also provide virtual patching for known vulnerabilities (e.g., CVE-2023-XXXX) while the development team works on a permanent fix.
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 Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A WAF in front of the application. — A Web Application Firewall (WAF) is specifically designed to inspect HTTP/HTTPS traffic at the application layer (Layer 7), filtering out malicious payloads like SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS) while allowing legitimate requests to pass through. Unlike an IDS, a WAF operates inline and can actively block threats without requiring modifications to the application code, making it the ideal choice for protecting a public-facing web portal.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on SY0-701
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A web team is moving a customer portal behind a new inspection device. They need something that can examine HTTP requests, block malicious patterns like injection attempts, and still allow normal browsing. Which control is most appropriate?
medium- A.IDS, because it alerts on suspicious traffic without affecting application delivery.
- ✓ B.WAF, because it understands web requests and can block malicious application-layer traffic.
- C.DLP, because it can stop sensitive data from being posted to the portal.
- D.NAC, because it verifies whether devices are allowed onto the network.
Why B: A WAF (Web Application Firewall) is the correct choice because it operates at Layer 7 (application layer) and is specifically designed to inspect HTTP/HTTPS traffic. It can parse web requests, identify malicious patterns such as SQL injection or XSS payloads, and block them while allowing legitimate traffic to pass through to the customer portal.
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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