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ISC2 CC Practice Question: A helpdesk technician receives a report that a…
A helpdesk technician receives a report that a user in the finance department cannot access a shared folder on the server. The same server is accessible from other departments. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the concept of VLAN segmentation and firewall rules by presenting a symptom of partial connectivity, leading candidates to mistakenly focus on client-side issues (like a disabled account or cable problem) rather than network-layer access controls.
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
✓
A firewall rule is blocking traffic from the finance VLAN to the server
The scenario describes a user in the finance department unable to access a shared folder on a server that is reachable from other departments. This points to a segmentation or access control issue specific to the finance VLAN. A firewall rule blocking traffic from the finance VLAN to the server is the most likely cause because it would selectively prevent access for that subnet while allowing other VLANs to reach the server, matching the symptom of partial connectivity.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The server is down
Why it's wrong here
If the server were down, no one would be able to access it.
- ✓
A firewall rule is blocking traffic from the finance VLAN to the server
Why this is correct
This explains why only the finance department is affected.
- ✗
The network cable is unplugged
Why it's wrong here
A cable issue would affect the specific user, not the entire department.
- ✗
The user's account is disabled
Why it's wrong here
A disabled account would prevent access from any location.
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
Access Control Fundamentals
Key term
Folder
A folder is a logical container used to organize and group digital files, resources, or cloud-based assets within a system or platform.
Key term
VLAN
A VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) is a logical grouping of network devices that behave as if they are on the same physical network segment, regardless of their actual physical location.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CC practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CC exam.