The answer is Finding A, because it has the highest CVSS score of 9.8, placing it in the critical severity range. In vulnerability prioritization, CVSS scores directly guide remediation order by quantifying risk based on exploitability and impact; a score of 9.8 indicates a vulnerability that can be exploited remotely without authentication, often enabling remote code execution. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this concept tests your ability to apply risk-based prioritization in a scenario with multiple findings, where the common trap is to focus on the number of vulnerabilities rather than their severity. Remember that CVSS scores above 9.0 are critical and should always be remediated first, regardless of other factors. A useful memory tip is “9.8 is great for attackers, so patch it first.”
SY0-701 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations. 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.
Exhibit
Vulnerability review summary:
Finding A: CVE-2025-1184 | DMZ web server | Internet-facing | Remote code execution | Exploit in the wild | Patch available
Finding B: CVE-2025-4420 | Engineering laptop | Internal-only lab VLAN | CVSS 9.8 | Requires local access | No network path
Finding C: CVE-2025-6011 | File server | Internal network | Requires authenticated user | Compensating ACL restricts access
Finding D: CVE-2025-7044 | Backup appliance | Internal network | No patch yet | Vendor says issue is unreachable from network
Based on the exhibit, which finding should be remediated first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Vulnerability review summary:
Finding A: CVE-2025-1184 | DMZ web server | Internet-facing | Remote code execution | Exploit in the wild | Patch available
Finding B: CVE-2025-4420 | Engineering laptop | Internal-only lab VLAN | CVSS 9.8 | Requires local access | No network path
Finding C: CVE-2025-6011 | File server | Internal network | Requires authenticated user | Compensating ACL restricts access
Finding D: CVE-2025-7044 | Backup appliance | Internal network | No patch yet | Vendor says issue is unreachable from network
A
Finding A
Finding A combines internet exposure, remote code execution, and active exploitation in the wild, making it the most urgent risk even if another item has a slightly higher CVSS score. Exposure and exploitability matter more than score alone. A patch is available, so remediation can reduce the window of opportunity quickly. In Security+ style prioritization, reachable, actively exploited weaknesses on public-facing systems rise to the top.
B
Finding B
Why wrong: Finding B has a high score, but it requires local access and sits on an internal lab VLAN with no network path.
C
Finding C
Why wrong: Finding C affects a file server, but the compensating ACL limits exposure and the issue requires authenticated access.
D
Finding D
Why wrong: Finding D is concerning, but the vendor states the flaw is currently unreachable from the network and there is no patch yet.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Finding A
Finding A indicates a critical vulnerability with a CVSS score of 9.8, which is the highest severity among the findings. Remediation should prioritize the most severe risk to minimize potential impact, as this vulnerability could allow remote code execution without authentication.
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.
✓
Finding A
Why this is correct
Finding A combines internet exposure, remote code execution, and active exploitation in the wild, making it the most urgent risk even if another item has a slightly higher CVSS score. Exposure and exploitability matter more than score alone. A patch is available, so remediation can reduce the window of opportunity quickly. In Security+ style prioritization, reachable, actively exploited weaknesses on public-facing systems rise to the top.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Finding B
Why it's wrong here
Finding B has a high score, but it requires local access and sits on an internal lab VLAN with no network path.
✗
Finding C
Why it's wrong here
Finding C affects a file server, but the compensating ACL limits exposure and the issue requires authenticated access.
✗
Finding D
Why it's wrong here
Finding D is concerning, but the vendor states the flaw is currently unreachable from the network and there is no patch yet.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates might choose a finding based on the number of affected systems or a misleading description, rather than strictly prioritizing by CVSS severity score as CompTIA expects.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) scores range from 0.0 to 10.0, with 9.0-10.0 classified as critical. The score is derived from metrics like Attack Vector (AV:N for network), Attack Complexity (AC:L for low), and Privileges Required (PR:N for none), which together indicate that Finding A can be exploited remotely with no authentication. In a real-world scenario, such a vulnerability might be a buffer overflow in a network service, allowing an attacker to gain full system control without any user interaction.
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 team runs a vulnerability scan on a web application and discovers an unpatched SQL injection flaw. The team prioritises remediation by CVSS score — critical flaws are patched within 24 hours, high within 7 days. Questions like this test whether you understand vulnerability management processes, scanning tools, and remediation prioritisation.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SY0-701 question in full detail.
Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — This question tests Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Finding A — Finding A indicates a critical vulnerability with a CVSS score of 9.8, which is the highest severity among the findings. Remediation should prioritize the most severe risk to minimize potential impact, as this vulnerability could allow remote code execution without authentication.
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: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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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. Based on the exhibit, which finding should the security team remediate first?
easy
A.LAP09 because user devices are always the easiest to patch
✓ B.WEB01 because it is internet-facing and has a critical exploitable vulnerability
C.PRN01 because firmware issues can affect many users
D.FILE02 because internal servers are always more important than public ones
Why B: WEB01 is internet-facing and has a critical exploitable vulnerability, meaning an attacker can directly compromise it from the public internet with minimal effort. This represents the highest risk because it combines high likelihood (exploit available) with high impact (full compromise of a public-facing server). Remediating this first aligns with the principle of prioritizing externally exposed systems with known critical flaws over internal or less severe issues.
Variation 2. Based on the exhibit, which issue should be remediated FIRST?
The team can only fully fix one issue today. Management wants the choice that best reduces real-world risk, not just the highest severity score.
hard
✓ A.Internet-facing VPN appliance
B.Internal HR file server
C.Lab workstation
D.DMZ reporting server
Why A: The Internet-facing VPN appliance is the highest priority because it is directly exposed to untrusted networks (the Internet), making it the most likely entry point for attackers. A compromise here could lead to full network access, bypassing all other security controls, which represents the greatest real-world risk regardless of its severity score.
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Question Discussion
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