CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) Exam | 2025/2026
Edition
150 Practice Questions with Detailed Rationales | A+
Graded
EXAM INSTRUCTIONS
Exam: CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) Certification
Issuing Body: Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA)
Exam Format: Maximum 90 questions, Multiple Choice & Performance-Based
Time Limit: 90 minutes
Passing Score: 750 (on a scale of 100-900)
Domains: General Security Concepts (12%), Threats/Vulnerabilities/Mitigations (22%),
Security Architecture (18%), Security Operations (28%), Security Program Management
& Oversight (20%)
SECTION 1: GENERAL SECURITY CONCEPTS (Questions 1-25)
1. A security administrator enforces that users only have the minimum levels of
access necessary to perform their job functions. Which security principle is being
described?
a) Separation of duties
b) Mandatory vacation
c) Job rotation
d) Least privilege
,Rationale: The principle of least privilege dictates that users and systems should be
granted only the minimum necessary rights and permissions to perform their authorized
tasks. This reduces the attack surface and limits potential damage from compromised
accounts. Separation of duties divides critical tasks among different individuals to prevent
a single person from having excessive control.
2. The Chief Technical Officer (CTO) wants to prevent a single database
administrator from having the ability to commit fraud. Which is the BEST method
to prevent such activities?
a) Job rotation
b) Separation of duties
c) Mandatory vacations
d) Least privilege
Rationale: Separation of duties divides critical tasks among different individuals to prevent
a single person from having excessive control. This ensures that fraud or errors require
collusion, significantly reducing risk. Job rotation and mandatory vacations serve as
deterrents but do not directly prevent fraud.
3. An organization implements a policy requiring all employees to change complex
passwords every 90 days. Which security principle is this policy primarily
supporting?
a) Confidentiality
b) Integrity
c) Availability
d) Non-repudiation
Rationale: Complex password policies and regular changes protect confidentiality by
ensuring only authorized users can access sensitive data. Integrity prevents unauthorized
modifications, availability ensures uptime, and non-repudiation provides proof of action
origin.
4. A security analyst notices multiple failed login attempts from a single IP address
followed by a successful login. Which attack is MOST likely occurring?
a) Phishing
b) Brute force
c) Man-in-the-middle
d) SQL injection
Rationale: Multiple failed login attempts followed by a successful login is characteristic of
a brute force attack, where an attacker systematically tries different passwords until they
, gain access. Phishing uses deceptive emails, MITM intercepts communications, and SQL
injection targets databases.
5. Which of the following is an example of a physical security control?
a) Firewall rules
b) Biometric door locks
c) Encryption protocols
d) Security awareness training
Rationale: Biometric door locks are physical controls that restrict physical access to
facilities or rooms. Firewalls and encryption are technical controls, while security
awareness training is an administrative/operational control.
6. An organization classifies data as Public, Internal, Confidential, and Restricted.
This is an example of:
a) Data loss prevention
b) Data classification
c) Data encryption
d) Data masking
Rationale: Data classification categorizes information by sensitivity to apply appropriate
handling and protection controls. DLP prevents exfiltration, encryption protects
confidentiality, and masking obscures sensitive data.
7. Which of the following is a characteristic of symmetric encryption?
a) Uses a public and private key pair
b) Requires a secure channel for key exchange
c) Is slower than asymmetric encryption
d) Provides non-repudiation by default
Rationale: Symmetric encryption uses the same key for encryption and decryption,
creating a key distribution problem that requires a secure channel. Asymmetric encryption
uses key pairs and solves this problem.
8. The Zero Trust model operates on which core principle?
a) Trust internal networks implicitly
b) Never trust, always verify
c) Trust after successful login
d) Trust based on IP address
Edition
150 Practice Questions with Detailed Rationales | A+
Graded
EXAM INSTRUCTIONS
Exam: CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) Certification
Issuing Body: Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA)
Exam Format: Maximum 90 questions, Multiple Choice & Performance-Based
Time Limit: 90 minutes
Passing Score: 750 (on a scale of 100-900)
Domains: General Security Concepts (12%), Threats/Vulnerabilities/Mitigations (22%),
Security Architecture (18%), Security Operations (28%), Security Program Management
& Oversight (20%)
SECTION 1: GENERAL SECURITY CONCEPTS (Questions 1-25)
1. A security administrator enforces that users only have the minimum levels of
access necessary to perform their job functions. Which security principle is being
described?
a) Separation of duties
b) Mandatory vacation
c) Job rotation
d) Least privilege
,Rationale: The principle of least privilege dictates that users and systems should be
granted only the minimum necessary rights and permissions to perform their authorized
tasks. This reduces the attack surface and limits potential damage from compromised
accounts. Separation of duties divides critical tasks among different individuals to prevent
a single person from having excessive control.
2. The Chief Technical Officer (CTO) wants to prevent a single database
administrator from having the ability to commit fraud. Which is the BEST method
to prevent such activities?
a) Job rotation
b) Separation of duties
c) Mandatory vacations
d) Least privilege
Rationale: Separation of duties divides critical tasks among different individuals to prevent
a single person from having excessive control. This ensures that fraud or errors require
collusion, significantly reducing risk. Job rotation and mandatory vacations serve as
deterrents but do not directly prevent fraud.
3. An organization implements a policy requiring all employees to change complex
passwords every 90 days. Which security principle is this policy primarily
supporting?
a) Confidentiality
b) Integrity
c) Availability
d) Non-repudiation
Rationale: Complex password policies and regular changes protect confidentiality by
ensuring only authorized users can access sensitive data. Integrity prevents unauthorized
modifications, availability ensures uptime, and non-repudiation provides proof of action
origin.
4. A security analyst notices multiple failed login attempts from a single IP address
followed by a successful login. Which attack is MOST likely occurring?
a) Phishing
b) Brute force
c) Man-in-the-middle
d) SQL injection
Rationale: Multiple failed login attempts followed by a successful login is characteristic of
a brute force attack, where an attacker systematically tries different passwords until they
, gain access. Phishing uses deceptive emails, MITM intercepts communications, and SQL
injection targets databases.
5. Which of the following is an example of a physical security control?
a) Firewall rules
b) Biometric door locks
c) Encryption protocols
d) Security awareness training
Rationale: Biometric door locks are physical controls that restrict physical access to
facilities or rooms. Firewalls and encryption are technical controls, while security
awareness training is an administrative/operational control.
6. An organization classifies data as Public, Internal, Confidential, and Restricted.
This is an example of:
a) Data loss prevention
b) Data classification
c) Data encryption
d) Data masking
Rationale: Data classification categorizes information by sensitivity to apply appropriate
handling and protection controls. DLP prevents exfiltration, encryption protects
confidentiality, and masking obscures sensitive data.
7. Which of the following is a characteristic of symmetric encryption?
a) Uses a public and private key pair
b) Requires a secure channel for key exchange
c) Is slower than asymmetric encryption
d) Provides non-repudiation by default
Rationale: Symmetric encryption uses the same key for encryption and decryption,
creating a key distribution problem that requires a secure channel. Asymmetric encryption
uses key pairs and solves this problem.
8. The Zero Trust model operates on which core principle?
a) Trust internal networks implicitly
b) Never trust, always verify
c) Trust after successful login
d) Trust based on IP address
