- A
Place the public web tier in a DMZ behind a reverse proxy or WAF so the internet never reaches application or database hosts directly.
A DMZ places the internet-facing web tier in a controlled network segment that can be tightly filtered and monitored. A reverse proxy or WAF further reduces exposure by terminating client connections and filtering malicious requests before they reach internal tiers. This design supports the requirement that only the web tier is reachable from the internet while preserving separation from the app and database layers.
- B
Put all three tiers on the same VLAN and depend on host-based firewalls to separate them.
Why wrong: Keeping all tiers on one VLAN increases the attack surface and makes lateral movement easier if one server is compromised. Host firewalls can help, but they do not provide the same architectural boundary as a DMZ and layered network controls. The requirement calls for stronger segmentation than a flat trust zone.
- C
Use a bastion host on a dedicated management network for all administrative access to the servers.
A bastion host creates a hardened, audited entry point for administrative sessions and keeps management traffic off user networks. Placing it on a dedicated management network allows stricter ACLs, session logging, and better monitoring. This matches the need for a protected administrative path without exposing server management interfaces broadly.
- D
Allow administrators to SSH or RDP from the standard employee VLAN for faster troubleshooting.
Why wrong: Permitting management traffic from the general employee VLAN weakens segmentation and makes it harder to control who can reach privileged services. If an employee workstation is compromised, the attacker gains a direct path to management interfaces. Convenience is not a sufficient reason to relax the required separation.
- E
Expose the database listener to the internet and require strong passwords for application connections.
Why wrong: Database services should almost never be exposed directly to the internet in a three-tier design. Strong passwords do not compensate for unnecessary public exposure, brute-force risk, or protocol misuse. The database should remain internal and reachable only from the application tier through tightly controlled rules.
Quick Answer
The answer is to place the web tier in a DMZ behind a reverse proxy or WAF and to use a bastion host on a dedicated management network for administrative access. This design enforces the required isolation because the DMZ acts as a buffer zone where internet traffic is terminated and inspected before reaching the web servers, while the bastion host provides a single, hardened entry point for administrators to securely manage servers without exposing the internal network. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of network segmentation and secure administrative access—a common trap is confusing a jump box with a VPN or assuming the bastion host sits in the same DMZ as the web tier. Remember the memory tip: “DMZ for data, bastion for bosses”—the DMZ protects user-facing traffic, while the bastion protects admin pathways.
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 company is redesigning a three-tier customer portal. Internet users must reach only the web tier, the application tier must never be directly reachable from the internet, database traffic must flow only from the app tier, and administrators need a protected path to manage servers. Which two design choices best meet these requirements? 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.
Clue:
"never"Why it matters: Absolute qualifier. True only if the statement has zero exceptions — be cautious of options that seem obvious but break down in edge cases.
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
Place the public web tier in a DMZ behind a reverse proxy or WAF so the internet never reaches application or database hosts directly.
Option A is correct because placing the public web tier in a DMZ behind a reverse proxy or WAF ensures that internet traffic is terminated at the proxy layer, which inspects and filters requests before forwarding them to the web servers. This architecture prevents direct internet access to the application or database tiers, enforcing the required isolation. The reverse proxy or WAF can also provide SSL/TLS termination, load balancing, and application-layer attack mitigation, aligning with the principle of defense in depth.
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.
- ✓
Place the public web tier in a DMZ behind a reverse proxy or WAF so the internet never reaches application or database hosts directly.
Why this is correct
A DMZ places the internet-facing web tier in a controlled network segment that can be tightly filtered and monitored. A reverse proxy or WAF further reduces exposure by terminating client connections and filtering malicious requests before they reach internal tiers. This design supports the requirement that only the web tier is reachable from the internet while preserving separation from the app and database layers.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "never" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Put all three tiers on the same VLAN and depend on host-based firewalls to separate them.
Why it's wrong here
Keeping all tiers on one VLAN increases the attack surface and makes lateral movement easier if one server is compromised. Host firewalls can help, but they do not provide the same architectural boundary as a DMZ and layered network controls. The requirement calls for stronger segmentation than a flat trust zone.
- ✓
Use a bastion host on a dedicated management network for all administrative access to the servers.
Why this is correct
A bastion host creates a hardened, audited entry point for administrative sessions and keeps management traffic off user networks. Placing it on a dedicated management network allows stricter ACLs, session logging, and better monitoring. This matches the need for a protected administrative path without exposing server management interfaces broadly.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "never" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Allow administrators to SSH or RDP from the standard employee VLAN for faster troubleshooting.
Why it's wrong here
Permitting management traffic from the general employee VLAN weakens segmentation and makes it harder to control who can reach privileged services. If an employee workstation is compromised, the attacker gains a direct path to management interfaces. Convenience is not a sufficient reason to relax the required separation.
- ✗
Expose the database listener to the internet and require strong passwords for application connections.
Why it's wrong here
Database services should almost never be exposed directly to the internet in a three-tier design. Strong passwords do not compensate for unnecessary public exposure, brute-force risk, or protocol misuse. The database should remain internal and reachable only from the application tier through tightly controlled rules.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume host-based firewalls are sufficient for network segmentation, but the SY0-701 exam emphasizes that proper network segmentation requires separate VLANs, ACLs, or firewall rules at the network layer, not just software-based filters on each host.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In a three-tier architecture, the DMZ typically uses a reverse proxy (e.g., NGINX, HAProxy) or a WAF (e.g., AWS WAF, ModSecurity) that operates at Layer 7, inspecting HTTP/HTTPS headers, cookies, and payloads. The bastion host (or jump box) is placed in a separate management VLAN with strict ACLs, and administrative access is typically secured via SSH (port 22) or RDP over an encrypted tunnel, often combined with multi-factor authentication and session logging. This design aligns with the NIST SP 800-53 security controls for boundary protection and least privilege.
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 developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
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.
- →
Security Architecture — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Security Architecture practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All SY0-701 questions
1,152 questions across all exam domains
- →
Security+ SY0-701 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
SY0-701 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related SY0-701 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
General Security Concepts practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to General Security Concepts.
Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations.
Security Architecture practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security Architecture.
Security Operations practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security Operations.
Security Program Management and Oversight practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security Program Management and Oversight.
Security+ social engineering questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ social engineering questions.
Security+ cryptography practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ cryptography.
Security+ IAM questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ IAM questions.
Security+ risk management questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ risk management questions.
Security+ incident response questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ incident response questions.
Security+ malware questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ malware questions.
Security+ vulnerability management questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ vulnerability management questions.
Practice this exam
Start a free SY0-701 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: Place the public web tier in a DMZ behind a reverse proxy or WAF so the internet never reaches application or database hosts directly. — Option A is correct because placing the public web tier in a DMZ behind a reverse proxy or WAF ensures that internet traffic is terminated at the proxy layer, which inspects and filters requests before forwarding them to the web servers. This architecture prevents direct internet access to the application or database tiers, enforcing the required isolation. The reverse proxy or WAF can also provide SSL/TLS termination, load balancing, and application-layer attack mitigation, aligning with the principle of defense in depth.
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", "never". 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
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 small company is moving its public web app to a new network. The front-end server must be reachable from the internet, the application server should only accept traffic from the front end, and the database must never be reachable from the internet or user VLANs. Which design best meets these requirements with the least exposure?
medium- A.Place all three servers in the same server VLAN and use host-based firewalls to separate them.
- ✓ B.Place the web server in a DMZ, the application server in an internal subnet, and the database in a separate restricted subnet with firewall rules between each tier.
- C.Place the database in the DMZ so the web and application servers can access it directly without extra firewall rules.
- D.Place the web server on the user VLAN and use NAT to hide the database server from the internet.
Why B: Option B is correct because it implements a classic three-tier architecture with network segmentation. The web server in the DMZ is isolated from internal networks but accessible from the internet, the application server in an internal subnet is protected by firewall rules that only allow traffic from the DMZ, and the database in a separate restricted subnet is further isolated with firewall rules that only permit traffic from the application server. This design minimizes exposure by enforcing least privilege and defense in depth, using network-layer segmentation rather than relying solely on host-based controls.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.