SK0-005 security-disaster-recovery Practice Question
A system administrator needs to configure secure remote access to servers in the data center. The current setup uses password-based SSH, but the security policy mandates multifactor authentication and prevention of brute-force attacks. Which solution best meets these requirements?
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
✓
Deploy a VPN with certificate-based authentication and enable MFA.
Option C is correct because a VPN with certificate-based authentication provides strong encryption and identity verification, and enabling MFA adds an extra layer of security that satisfies the multifactor mandate. Option A is wrong because SSH key authentication alone does not provide MFA; an attacker with the key can still connect. Option B is wrong because while fail2ban helps against brute-force, it does not implement MFA. Option D is wrong because RDP is less secure for remote server administration and NLA does not constitute full MFA.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Implement SSH key authentication only.
Why it's wrong here
SSH keys strengthen authentication against password guessing but do not meet the multifactor requirement, as the key itself is a single factor.
- ✗
Use SSH with public key authentication and install fail2ban.
Why it's wrong here
This combination improves resistance to brute-force attacks but still lacks the mandatory second factor of authentication.
- ✓
Deploy a VPN with certificate-based authentication and enable MFA.
Why this is correct
A VPN secures the entire communication channel, certificates provide strong machine-level trust, and MFA adds the required second factor for user authentication.
- ✗
Enable RDP with network-level authentication.
Why it's wrong here
RDP is not typically considered secure for server administration without additional protections, and NLA is a single-factor authentication method.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Server Hardening and Secure Configuration
Key term
fail2ban
Fail2ban is a security tool that monitors log files for repeated authentication failures and temporarily bans the offending IP addresses using firewall rules.
Key term
Authentication
Authentication is the process of verifying that someone or something is who or what it claims to be before granting access to a system or resource.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed July 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This SK0-005 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 SK0-005 exam.