CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 Certification Exam
Practice Questions
Here is a comprehensive set of 300 practice questions for the CompTIA
Security+ SY0-701 Certification Exam. The exam consists of a maximum
of 90 multiple-choice and performance-based questions, with a passing
score of 750 on a scale of 100-900 . This practice bank covers all five exam
domains :
1. General Security Concepts
2. Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations
3. Security Architecture
4. Security Operations
5. Security Program Management and Oversight
Domain 1: General Security Concepts (Questions 1-60)
Question 1
Which of the following security controls is an example of a physical control?
A. Firewall
B. Encryption
C. Security guard
D. Acceptable Use Policy
*Correct Answer: C. Security guard. *
Rationale: Security guards are physical controls—tangible measures
implemented to prevent unauthorized physical access. Firewalls are technical
,controls, encryption is a cryptographic control, and Acceptable Use Policies
are administrative controls .
Question 2
What is the primary purpose of the CIA triad?
A. To identify threat actors
B. To provide a framework for security controls
C. To categorize network protocols
D. To manage incident response
*Correct Answer: B. To provide a framework for security controls. *
Rationale: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability form the CIA triad, which
serves as the core framework for designing and evaluating security controls.
All security measures aim to protect one or more of these principles .
Question 3
A company implements a policy requiring all employees to change their
passwords every 90 days. This is an example of which type of control?
A. Physical control
B. Technical control
C. Administrative control
D. Deterrent control
*Correct Answer: C. Administrative control. *
,Rationale: Password policies are administrative controls—they are rules,
policies, and procedures that guide employee behavior and establish security
expectations .
Question 4
Which principle of the CIA triad is violated if an unauthorized user modifies
a financial record?
A. Confidentiality
B. Integrity
C. Availability
D. Authentication
*Correct Answer: B. Integrity. *
Rationale: Integrity ensures that data is accurate and has not been
improperly modified. Unauthorized modification of financial records directly
violates the integrity principle .
Question 5
A denial-of-service attack primarily targets which component of the CIA
triad?
A. Confidentiality
B. Integrity
C. Availability
D. Non-repudiation
, *Correct Answer: C. Availability. *
Rationale: DoS attacks aim to disrupt access to systems or services, directly
targeting availability. They do not typically involve data theft or modification
.
Question 6
What is the main purpose of multifactor authentication (MFA)?
A. To increase password complexity
B. To require two or more verification factors from different categories
C. To eliminate the need for passwords
D. To encrypt network traffic
*Correct Answer: B. To require two or more verification factors from
different categories. *
Rationale: MFA requires authentication factors from at least two different
categories (something you know, have, or are) to significantly reduce the risk
of unauthorized access even if one factor is compromised .
Question 7
Which type of authentication factor is a fingerprint?
A. Something you know
B. Something you have
C. Something you are
D. Something you do
Practice Questions
Here is a comprehensive set of 300 practice questions for the CompTIA
Security+ SY0-701 Certification Exam. The exam consists of a maximum
of 90 multiple-choice and performance-based questions, with a passing
score of 750 on a scale of 100-900 . This practice bank covers all five exam
domains :
1. General Security Concepts
2. Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations
3. Security Architecture
4. Security Operations
5. Security Program Management and Oversight
Domain 1: General Security Concepts (Questions 1-60)
Question 1
Which of the following security controls is an example of a physical control?
A. Firewall
B. Encryption
C. Security guard
D. Acceptable Use Policy
*Correct Answer: C. Security guard. *
Rationale: Security guards are physical controls—tangible measures
implemented to prevent unauthorized physical access. Firewalls are technical
,controls, encryption is a cryptographic control, and Acceptable Use Policies
are administrative controls .
Question 2
What is the primary purpose of the CIA triad?
A. To identify threat actors
B. To provide a framework for security controls
C. To categorize network protocols
D. To manage incident response
*Correct Answer: B. To provide a framework for security controls. *
Rationale: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability form the CIA triad, which
serves as the core framework for designing and evaluating security controls.
All security measures aim to protect one or more of these principles .
Question 3
A company implements a policy requiring all employees to change their
passwords every 90 days. This is an example of which type of control?
A. Physical control
B. Technical control
C. Administrative control
D. Deterrent control
*Correct Answer: C. Administrative control. *
,Rationale: Password policies are administrative controls—they are rules,
policies, and procedures that guide employee behavior and establish security
expectations .
Question 4
Which principle of the CIA triad is violated if an unauthorized user modifies
a financial record?
A. Confidentiality
B. Integrity
C. Availability
D. Authentication
*Correct Answer: B. Integrity. *
Rationale: Integrity ensures that data is accurate and has not been
improperly modified. Unauthorized modification of financial records directly
violates the integrity principle .
Question 5
A denial-of-service attack primarily targets which component of the CIA
triad?
A. Confidentiality
B. Integrity
C. Availability
D. Non-repudiation
, *Correct Answer: C. Availability. *
Rationale: DoS attacks aim to disrupt access to systems or services, directly
targeting availability. They do not typically involve data theft or modification
.
Question 6
What is the main purpose of multifactor authentication (MFA)?
A. To increase password complexity
B. To require two or more verification factors from different categories
C. To eliminate the need for passwords
D. To encrypt network traffic
*Correct Answer: B. To require two or more verification factors from
different categories. *
Rationale: MFA requires authentication factors from at least two different
categories (something you know, have, or are) to significantly reduce the risk
of unauthorized access even if one factor is compromised .
Question 7
Which type of authentication factor is a fingerprint?
A. Something you know
B. Something you have
C. Something you are
D. Something you do
