Pass the CompTIA CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 Questions and answers with CertsForce

Automatically generating WAF rules when applications are deployed is a hallmark of Infrastructure as Code (IaC). IaC allows infrastructure components—including firewalls, WAF policies, and load balancers—to be defined and deployed via code templates rather than manual configuration. In DevSecOps, IaC enables security controls to be embedded into deployment pipelines, ensuring that protections such as WAF rules are created instantly and consistently whenever new application versions are released.

Security+ SY0-701 highlights IaC as a method for automating infrastructure provisioning, standardizing security controls, and reducing configuration drift. This allows development and security teams to collaborate more effectively by treating security policies as code.

IoT (B) refers to smart devices, IoC (C) refers to indicators of compromise, and IaaS (D) refers to cloud compute infrastructure—not automated security policy creation.

Thus, the correct answer is A: IaC.

A NAC (network access control) platform is a technology that enforces security policies on devices that attempt to access a network. A NAC platform can verify the identity, role, and compliance of the devices, and grant or deny access based on predefined rules. A NAC platform can protect both wired and wireless networks, but in this scenario, the systems administrator is trying to protect the wired attack surface, which is the set of vulnerabilities that can be exploited through a physical connection to the network12.

Comprehensive and Detailed In-Depth Explanation:

Aload balancerdistributes incoming traffic evenly across multiple servers to prevent any single server from becoming overloaded. This ensureshigh availability, scalability, and optimal performanceof the company's website.

Server multiprocessing (A)refers to the use of multiple processors within a single server but does not distribute traffic across multiple servers.

A warm site (B)is a disaster recovery strategy, not a method for balancing real-time traffic.

A proxy server (D)acts as an intermediary between users and web services but does not distribute server load.

Using aload balancerallows forefficient traffic management and prevents server overload.

The Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) is a technology designed to check the revocation status of digital certificates in real-time without requiring the client to download entire revocation lists. Unlike Certificate Revocation Lists (CRLs), which are periodically updated and can be large, OCSP queries an OCSP responder to receive the status of a specific certificate.

OCSP is considered passive verification because it allows clients to check a certificate's current validity status on-demand without maintaining local copies of revocation data. The OCSP responder returns whether the certificate is valid, revoked, or expired.

Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is hardware for secure key storage, and Certificate Signing Request (CSR) is a request for certificate issuance; neither is used for verifying certificate expiration status.

The differences and roles of OCSP and CRLs are thoroughly covered in the Cryptography and PKI chapter of the SY0-701, where OCSP is highlighted as the more efficient and real-time method to verify certificate status passively【6:Chapter 7†CompTIA Security+ Study Guide】.

Zero-day vulnerabilities are unknown flaws in software, making them harder to patch, especially when using open-source libraries without dedicated support teams.

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A change management procedure is a set of steps and guidelines that a security administrator should adhere to when setting up a new set of firewall rules. A firewall is a device or software that can filter, block, or allow network traffic based on predefined rules or policies. A firewall rule is a statement that defines the criteria and action for a firewall to apply to a packet or a connection. For example, a firewall rule can allow or deny traffic based on the source and destination IP addresses, ports, protocols, or applications. Setting up a new set of firewall rules is a type of change that can affect the security, performance, and functionality of the network. Therefore, a change management procedure is necessary to ensure that the change is planned, tested, approved, implemented, documented, and reviewed in a controlled and consistent manner. A change management procedure typically includes the following elements:

A change request that describes the purpose, scope, impact, and benefits of the change, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the change owner, implementer, and approver.

A change assessment that evaluates the feasibility, risks, costs, and dependencies of the change, as well as the alternatives and contingency plans.

A change approval that authorizes the change to proceed to the implementation stage, based on the criteria and thresholds defined by the change policy.

A change implementation that executes the change according to the plan and schedule, and verifies the results and outcomes of the change.

A change documentation that records the details and status of the change, as well as the lessons learned and best practices.

A change review that monitors and measures the performance and effectiveness of the change, and identifies any issues or gaps that need to be addressed or improved.

A change management procedure is important for a security administrator to adhere to when setting up a new set of firewall rules, as it can help to achieve the following objectives:

Enhance the security posture and compliance of the network by ensuring that the firewall rules are aligned with the security policies and standards, and that they do not introduce any vulnerabilities or conflicts.

Minimize the disruption and downtime of the network by ensuring that the firewall rules are tested and validated before deployment, and that they do not affect the availability or functionality of the network services or applications.

Improve the efficiency and quality of the network by ensuring that the firewall rules are optimized and updated according to the changing needs and demands of the network users and stakeholders, and that they do not cause any performance or compatibility issues.

Increase the accountability and transparency of the network by ensuring that the firewall rules are documented and reviewed regularly, and that they are traceable and auditable by the relevant authorities and parties.

The other options are not correct because they are not related to the process of setting up a new set of firewall rules. A disaster recovery plan is a set of policies and procedures that aim to restore the normal operations of an organization in the event of a system failure, natural disaster, or other emergency. An incident response procedure is a set of steps and guidelines that aim to contain, analyze, eradicate, and recover from a security incident, such as a cyberattack, data breach, or malware infection. A business continuity plan is a set of strategies and actions that aim to maintain the essential functions and operations of an organization during and after a disruptive event, such as a pandemic, power outage, or civil unrest. References = CompTIA Security+ Study Guide (SY0-701), Chapter 7: Resilience and Recovery, page 325. Professor Messer’s CompTIA SY0-701 Security+ Training Course, Section 1.3: Security Operations, video: Change Management (5:45).

An Access Control List (ACL) is a technical mechanism used to explicitly define permissions for files, folders, or other resources. ACLs specify which users or system processes are granted access to objects and what operations are allowed on given objects. This allows the administrator to centrally and granularly manage file permissions for a group or team.

LDAP authentication on the printer (C)would require users toauthenticate before printing, enablingsecure print release. This ensures that documents arenot printed until the authorized user is physically present, which directly addresses the issue of missing confidential documents.

As perCompTIA Security+ SY0-701, Domain 3.1 (Access management), integratingauthentication mechanisms like LDAPimproves physical and document security in shared environments.

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) DNS records specify which mail servers are authorized to send email on behalf of a domain. When new email servers are added but SPF records are not updated, recipient mail systems cannot verify the legitimacy of the new servers. As a result, those messages are flagged as spam or rejected altogether.

CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 highlights SPF as an essential email authentication mechanism used to reduce spoofing, phishing, and spam classification errors. Updating the SPF record to include the new servers ensures email reputation is maintained and messages are delivered properly.

CNAME (A) maps hostnames but does not affect outbound email legitimacy. SMTP (B) is the mail protocol, not the authentication method. DLP (C) governs sensitive data handling, not spam classification.

Thus, SPF is the correct answer.

A service level agreement (SLA) is a type of agreement that defines the expectations and responsibilities between a service provider and a customer. It usually includes the quality, availability, and performance metrics of the service, as well as the time frame in which the provider needs to respond to service requests, incidents, or complaints. An SLA can help ensure that the customer receives the desired level of service and that the provider is accountable for meeting the agreed-upon standards.

A watering hole attack occurs when attackers compromise a website that is frequently visited by targeted users—in this case, the payment processing site used by employees. The compromised site then delivers malicious payloads to visitors, such as downloading malicious applications without user consent.

XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) attacks inject malicious scripts into web pages but typically do not cause automatic application downloads leading to restarts. Typosquatting (C) involves malicious websites mimicking legitimate ones via misspelled URLs. Buffer overflow (D) is an attack targeting software memory but doesn’t typically involve website compromise and automatic downloads.

This attack type is detailed in the Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations domain of SY0-701【6:Chapter 2†CompTIA Security+ Study Guide】.

Full Disk Encryption (FDE) ensures that all data on the drive is encrypted, preventing unauthorized access even if the device is lost.

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A logic bomb is a malicious code segment hidden inside legitimate software that triggers under specific conditions (dates, system states, user actions). Because logic bombs require direct access to source code or the development environment, the most likely attacker is a trusted insider—especially a disgruntled developer or administrator with the ability to modify internal applications.

Security+ SY0-701 emphasizes that insider threats have:

Elevated access

Knowledge of internal systems

Ability to manipulate production code

Motivation driven by revenge, termination, or personal grievances

These factors make insiders uniquely capable of embedding logic bombs into internally-developed applications.

Nation-state actors (A) typically target critical infrastructure or advanced espionage, not internal business apps. Organized crime groups (C) seek financial gain and generally do not have internal code access. Hacktivists (D) focus on ideological disruption, typically through external attacks, not internal code manipulation.

Thus, the threat actor most likely to plant a logic bomb in internal software is B: Trusted insider.

A two-person integrity security control is implemented to minimize the risk of errors or unauthorized actions. This control ensures that at least two individuals are involved in critical operations, which helps to verify the accuracy of the process and prevents unauthorized users from acting alone. It's a security measure commonly used in sensitive operations, like financial transactions or access to critical systems, to ensure accountability and accuracy.

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CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 Course Content: Domain 05 Security Program Management and Oversight​.

CompTIA Security+ SY0-601 Study Guide: Chapter on Security Operations and Management​.