Question 452 of 750

Windows Security Settings →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Audit Object Access and SACL: Logging File Share Access

This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of windows security settings. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.

After a security incident, a forensic analyst needs to ensure that Windows 10 audit logs capture all successful and failed attempts to access the 'Confidential' folder on a file server. Which audit policy configuration is required?

A
Enable 'Audit account logon events' for success and failure
Why wrong: This policy audits user authentication events, not file access.
B
Enable 'Audit object access' and configure the SACL on the folder
Audit object access must be enabled, and a System Access Control List (SACL) must be configured on the folder to specify which access attempts (success/failure) to log.
C
Enable 'Audit privilege use' for success and failure
Why wrong: This policy audits the use of user rights, not file access.
D
Enable 'Audit process tracking' for success and failure
Why wrong: This policy tracks process creation and termination, not file access.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The answer is to enable 'Audit object access' and configure the SACL on the folder. This is correct because the System Access Control List (SACL) on a file or folder defines which access attempts—successful, failed, or both—are logged, while the 'Audit object access' policy activates the auditing engine to capture those events. Without both components, the audit log will remain empty, as the SACL specifies the what and the policy enables the how. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this question tests your understanding of advanced audit policies, specifically that 'Audit File Share' or 'Audit Detailed File Share' under Advanced Audit Policy must be configured to log both success and failure for file share access. A common trap is confusing the SACL with the DACL (which controls permissions) or thinking that enabling the policy alone is sufficient. Remember the memory tip: "SACL says what to log, policy says to log it"—both are required for effective file share access logging.

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

✓

Enable 'Audit object access' and configure the SACL on the folder

To audit access attempts to a specific folder, you must enable the 'Audit object access' policy in the Advanced Audit Policy Configuration (or the legacy 'Audit object access' under Local Policies). This policy alone does not audit anything; you must also configure a System Access Control List (SACL) on the 'Confidential' folder itself, specifying which access types (e.g., Read, Write) for which users or groups to audit for success and failure. Without the SACL, no object access events are generated.

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.

✗
Enable 'Audit account logon events' for success and failure
Why it's wrong here
This policy audits user authentication events, not file access.
✓
Enable 'Audit object access' and configure the SACL on the folder
Why this is correct
Audit object access must be enabled, and a System Access Control List (SACL) must be configured on the folder to specify which access attempts (success/failure) to log.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable 'Audit privilege use' for success and failure
Why it's wrong here
This policy audits the use of user rights, not file access.
✗
Enable 'Audit process tracking' for success and failure
Why it's wrong here
This policy tracks process creation and termination, not file access.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

CompTIA often tests the misconception that enabling 'Audit object access' alone is sufficient, but candidates forget that a SACL must also be explicitly configured on the target object for any audit events to be generated.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Under the hood, the SACL on a folder is stored as part of the security descriptor in the NTFS file system. When a user attempts an access, the Security Reference Monitor (SRM) checks the SACL entries against the requested access mask; if a match is found, an audit event (Event ID 4663 for 'An attempt was made to access an object') is written to the Security log. A common subtlety is that the SACL must be configured with the correct 'Applies to' inheritance settings to cover subfolders and files, otherwise only direct access to the root folder is audited.

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 administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.

Visual reference

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 220-1202 question test?

Windows Security Settings — This question tests Windows Security Settings — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Enable 'Audit object access' and configure the SACL on the folder — To audit access attempts to a specific folder, you must enable the 'Audit object access' policy in the Advanced Audit Policy Configuration (or the legacy 'Audit object access' under Local Policies). This policy alone does not audit anything; you must also configure a System Access Control List (SACL) on the 'Confidential' folder itself, specifying which access types (e.g., Read, Write) for which users or groups to audit for success and failure. Without the SACL, no object access events are generated.

What should I do if I get this 220-1202 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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Same concept, more angles

1 more ways this is tested on 220-1202

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. After a security incident, a forensic analyst needs to review the event logs on a Windows 10 system to determine when a specific user account was created. The logs are intact. Which Windows security setting must be enabled to ensure that account creation events are recorded?

hard

A.Enable 'Audit Logon Events' in Local Security Policy.
✓ B.Enable 'Audit Account Management' in Advanced Audit Policy.
C.Turn on 'File and Printer Sharing' in Network and Sharing Center.
D.Configure Windows Defender to scan for new accounts.

Why B: Option B is correct because user account creation is an account management event, not a logon event. In Windows 10, the 'Audit Account Management' policy under Advanced Audit Policy Configuration must be enabled to record Security Event ID 4720 (a user account was created). This setting logs all changes to user and group accounts, including creation, modification, and deletion.

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