SY0-701 Question 257
Single answerWireless devicesA security administrator is investigating reports that employees' wireless headsets are intermittently disconnecting and then reconnecting to nearby unknown devices in a shared office building. The issue appears most often in conference rooms near the lobby. The company wants to reduce the risk of unauthorized pairing and data exposure from these wireless devices without replacing all headsets. Which of the following actions would BEST address the risk?
- A
Disable Bluetooth discovery mode on the headsets and require pairing only during initial provisioning
- B
Increase the Wi-Fi access points' transmit power in the conference rooms to overpower nearby wireless signals
- C
Change the corporate wireless network to WPA3-Enterprise so the headsets authenticate with 802.1X
- D
Enable NFC on all headsets so they automatically trust nearby devices without user interaction
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best answer is to disable Bluetooth discovery mode except during controlled provisioning. In real environments, Bluetooth peripherals such as headsets, keyboards, and speakers should not remain perpetually discoverable because discoverable devices are easier for unauthorized nearby systems to identify and target for pairing attempts. Best practice is to pair devices in a controlled process, remove unnecessary discoverability, and use the strongest supported Bluetooth security features and updated firmware. This approach is consistent with guidance from security baselines and vendor recommendations for Bluetooth device hardening: minimize discoverability, restrict pairing opportunities, and reduce exposure in public or shared spaces. The other options either address the wrong wireless technology or introduce unnecessary risk.
- A. Correct.
Correct. Bluetooth headsets are at risk when they remain discoverable or pairable beyond the initial setup period. Disabling discovery/pairing mode after provisioning reduces the chance that nearby unauthorized devices can find and attempt to pair with them. This is a practical hardening step for Bluetooth peripherals in shared environments and aligns with the principle of reducing attack surface.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Wi-Fi transmit power has nothing to do with securing Bluetooth pairing. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi may both use the 2.4 GHz band in many cases, but increasing Wi-Fi power is not a security control for unauthorized Bluetooth pairing and could create interference or coverage problems.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. WPA3-Enterprise protects Wi-Fi network access, not Bluetooth headset pairing. Wireless headsets that use Bluetooth do not authenticate to the corporate WLAN with 802.1X as part of their headset-to-device pairing process. This distractor reflects a common misconception that all wireless security issues are solved through stronger Wi-Fi settings.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. NFC can be used to simplify secure pairing in some device ecosystems, but enabling automatic trust of nearby devices would not be the best control here and could increase risk if implemented insecurely. The scenario specifically calls for reducing unauthorized pairing attempts; limiting discoverability is the more direct and broadly applicable mitigation.