CompTIA Updated SY0-701 Exam Questions and Answers by soraya

A Host-based Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) provides both preventive and detective security controls. Security+ SY0-701 describes HIPS as a host-level security solution that monitors system behavior, blocks malicious activity, and logs suspicious events.

It functions as a preventive control (B) because it can:

Stop malware execution

Block unauthorized changes

Prevent exploit attempts

Enforce endpoint protection policies

It is also a detective control (F) because it can:

Record attempted attacks

Identify suspicious activities

Generate alerts for security teams

Directive controls (A) refer to policies; physical controls (C) refer to locks and barriers; corrective controls (D) restore systems after an incident; compensating controls (E) substitute for missing primary controls.

Therefore, the two correct answers are B (Preventive) and F (Detective).

The correct answer is C. Independent audit.

An independent audit provides objective assurance that security controls are properly designed, implemented, and operating effectively. Audits are commonly used to validate compliance, governance, risk management, and control effectiveness.

This aligns with CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 topics involving audits, assessments, governance, compliance, and third-party assurance.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Red teaming

Red teaming simulates real-world adversary behavior to test detection and response capabilities. It does not provide the same formal assurance over control design and operating effectiveness.

B. Penetration testing

Penetration testing identifies exploitable vulnerabilities, but it does not comprehensively verify that all controls are properly designed and operating effectively.

D. Vulnerability assessment

A vulnerability assessment identifies and prioritizes weaknesses, but it does not provide formal assurance of control design and operating effectiveness.

Therefore, the best answer is independent audit.

Detailed Explanation:Load balancing improves application availability by distributing traffic across multiple servers. If one server fails, traffic is automatically routed to other available servers with minimal intervention. Reference: CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 Study Guide, Domain 3: Security Architecture, Section: " High Availability Solutions " ​​.

Applying the latest OS updates, patches, and endpoint definitions is the most effective way to prevent known exploits, which are attacks leveraging previously discovered vulnerabilities for which fixes are available.