- A
Least privilege
Why wrong: Least privilege is about granting only the permissions needed, but the core issue here is separating incompatible business functions.
- B
Separation of duties
Keeping creation, approval, and release in different roles reduces the chance that one compromised account or one dishonest employee can move money without oversight. The recommended super-user would concentrate those powers into one role and remove the control that forces independent review. That is a direct violation of separation of duties, which is designed to reduce fraud and abuse.
- C
Need-to-know
Why wrong: Need-to-know limits access to information, but this scenario is primarily about dividing responsibilities across people and roles.
- D
Defense in depth
Why wrong: Defense in depth uses multiple layers of controls, but the specific fraud-reduction issue here is role separation within the workflow.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is separation of duties. This principle is weakened because a super-user who can create, approve, and release payment batches removes the independent checks that prevent a single individual from executing fraudulent transactions without collusion. In the context of a payment system, separation of duties ensures that no one person controls the entire lifecycle of a financial transaction, thereby reducing fraud risk. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this concept tests your understanding of foundational security controls and often appears in scenario-based questions where a recommendation to consolidate roles for efficiency directly undermines fraud prevention. A common trap is confusing separation of duties with least privilege—while both limit access, separation of duties specifically divides critical tasks among multiple people. Remember the memory tip: “One person, one piece of the puzzle” to keep the principle clear.
SY0-701 General Security Concepts Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of general security concepts. 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.
To reduce fraud, a finance system requires one user to create a payment batch, a different user to approve it, and a third role to release it to the bank. An audit recommends adding a "super-user" who can perform all three steps to speed month-end close. Which principle would that recommendation most directly weaken?
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
Separation of duties
The recommendation to create a super-user who can create, approve, and release payment batches directly violates the separation of duties principle. This principle requires that critical tasks be divided among multiple individuals to prevent any single person from having the ability to commit fraud without collusion. By allowing one user to perform all three steps, the system loses the fraud-prevention control that requires independent actors for each stage of the payment lifecycle.
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.
- ✗
Least privilege
Why it's wrong here
Least privilege is about granting only the permissions needed, but the core issue here is separating incompatible business functions.
- ✓
Separation of duties
Why this is correct
Keeping creation, approval, and release in different roles reduces the chance that one compromised account or one dishonest employee can move money without oversight. The recommended super-user would concentrate those powers into one role and remove the control that forces independent review. That is a direct violation of separation of duties, which is designed to reduce fraud and abuse.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Need-to-know
Why it's wrong here
Need-to-know limits access to information, but this scenario is primarily about dividing responsibilities across people and roles.
- ✗
Defense in depth
Why it's wrong here
Defense in depth uses multiple layers of controls, but the specific fraud-reduction issue here is role separation within the workflow.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse least privilege with separation of duties, because both involve limiting access, but separation of duties specifically addresses the division of conflicting tasks to prevent fraud, while least privilege focuses on minimizing permissions for a single role.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Need-to-know limits access to information, but this scenario is primarily about dividing responsibilities across people and roles.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Separation of duties is a core internal control mechanism often mandated by frameworks like SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act) for financial systems. In practice, it is enforced through role-based access control (RBAC) where each role (e.g., batch creator, approver, releaser) is assigned distinct permissions in the application's database or directory service (e.g., Active Directory). A super-user account that bypasses these role boundaries effectively creates a single point of failure for fraud, as it eliminates the need for collusion between two or more individuals.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
General Security Concepts — This question tests General Security Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Separation of duties — The recommendation to create a super-user who can create, approve, and release payment batches directly violates the separation of duties principle. This principle requires that critical tasks be divided among multiple individuals to prevent any single person from having the ability to commit fraud without collusion. By allowing one user to perform all three steps, the system loses the fraud-prevention control that requires independent actors for each stage of the payment lifecycle.
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.
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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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