Sample Questions from CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701)

Preview a few questions below — answers are revealed when you take the exam.

  1. A security team is tasked with implementing a new access control system that minimizes the risk of unauthorized access while ensuring that authorized users can access necessary resources efficiently. What approach should they take to balance security and usability effectively?

    • Implement a Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) system that assigns permissions based on user roles and responsibilities, ensuring that users have the minimum necessary access to perform their job functions.
    • Adopt a Mandatory Access Control (MAC) system that enforces strict access policies based on security labels and clearance levels, ensuring that access is granted only to users with the appropriate security clearance.
    • Utilize a Discretionary Access Control (DAC) system that allows users to control access to their own resources, enabling them to share resources with others as needed while maintaining security.
    • Implement a Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) system that evaluates user attributes, resource attributes, and environmental conditions to make dynamic access decisions, providing fine-grained control over access permissions.

  2. Identify the command used to scan for open ports on a target system.

    • nmap
    • ping
    • traceroute
    • netstat

  3. Consider a scenario where a company experiences a data breach due to a phishing attack. Which method solves it best to prevent future incidents?

    • Implementing a comprehensive security awareness training program for all employees to recognize phishing attempts and avoid clicking on malicious links.
    • Deploying advanced antivirus software to detect and block phishing emails before they reach users' inboxes.
    • Configuring email gateways to filter out suspicious emails based on sender reputation and content analysis.
    • Establishing a robust incident response plan to quickly contain and mitigate the impact of phishing attacks when they occur.

  4. What service provides encrypted communication channels between clients and servers over the internet?

    • HTTPS
    • FTP
    • Telnet
    • SMTP

  5. A security analyst notices unusual network traffic patterns indicating a potential Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. What is the best troubleshooting action when dealing with this situation?

    • Immediately disconnect the affected systems from the network to prevent further damage and analyze the traffic logs to identify the source of the attack.
    • Implement rate limiting on the network to mitigate the impact of the DDoS attack and prevent legitimate traffic from being affected.
    • Deploy a DDoS mitigation service to absorb and filter malicious traffic before it reaches the target systems, ensuring uninterrupted service availability.
    • Configure intrusion detection systems (IDS) to monitor network traffic for signs of DDoS activity and trigger automated responses to block malicious traffic.