This VCP-DCV practice question tests your understanding of vsphere security. 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.
Which TWO actions are recommended to secure the vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA)?
Enable the auto-lock feature for the admin account
Why wrong: Auto-lock is not a VCSA feature.
Change the default 'root' password
Default passwords should be changed.
Disable SSH access
Disabling SSH reduces attack surface.
Configure the password policy for local accounts
Why wrong: Already enforced by default.
Enable FIPS 140-2 compliance mode
Why wrong: Optional, not always recommended.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Change the default 'root' password
Option B is correct because changing the default 'root' password is a fundamental security best practice for the VCSA. The default password is well-known and documented, leaving the appliance vulnerable to unauthorized access if not changed immediately after deployment. This action directly mitigates the risk of brute-force or credential-based attacks against the root account.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Enable the auto-lock feature for the admin account
Why it's wrong here
Auto-lock is not a VCSA feature.
Change the default 'root' password
Why this is correct
Default passwords should be changed.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Disable SSH access
Why this is correct
Disabling SSH reduces attack surface.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Configure the password policy for local accounts
Why it's wrong here
Already enforced by default.
Enable FIPS 140-2 compliance mode
Why it's wrong here
Optional, not always recommended.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'recommended security actions' with 'all possible security configurations,' leading them to select options like enabling FIPS or configuring password policies, which are not the two primary actions emphasized in VMware's official security hardening guidance for the VCSA.
Detailed technical explanation
The VCSA uses PAM (Pluggable Authentication Modules) for local authentication, and the root password is stored as a salted SHA-512 hash in /etc/shadow. Disabling SSH (option C) is critical because SSH provides a direct command-line interface to the appliance's underlying Photon OS, and if left enabled with default credentials, it exposes the management plane to remote exploitation. In a real-world scenario, a compromised root account via SSH could lead to full control of the vCenter Server and all managed ESXi hosts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the VCP-DCV exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
vSphere Security — This question tests vSphere Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Change the default 'root' password — Option B is correct because changing the default 'root' password is a fundamental security best practice for the VCSA. The default password is well-known and documented, leaving the appliance vulnerable to unauthorized access if not changed immediately after deployment. This action directly mitigates the risk of brute-force or credential-based attacks against the root account.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This VCP-DCV practice question is part of Courseiva's free VMware 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 VCP-DCV exam.
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