CAS-004 Security Engineering and Cryptography Practice Question
This CAS-004 practice question tests your understanding of security engineering and cryptography. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company is implementing privileged access management (PAM) for its critical servers. Which THREE practices should be included to enhance security? (Select THREE.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Record and monitor all privileged sessions
Just-in-time (JIT) access provisioning grants privileges only when needed, reducing standing privileges. Session recording and monitoring provides audit trails. Break-glass accounts provide emergency access with controls. MFA for all users is a general practice, but for PAM, JIT, session monitoring, and break-glass are specific. Password rotation is good but not a core PAM practice compared to the others.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Record and monitor all privileged sessions
Why this is correct
Session recording ensures accountability and aids forensic analysis.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✓
Implement just-in-time (JIT) access provisioning
Why this is correct
JIT reduces the attack surface by granting temporary privileges.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✓
Use break-glass accounts for emergency access
Why this is correct
Break-glass accounts provide controlled emergency access that can be audited.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✗
Enforce multi-factor authentication for all users
Why it's wrong here
While MFA is important, it is not specific to PAM; the question asks for practices for PAM.
✗
Require periodic password rotation for all service accounts
Why it's wrong here
Password rotation is a general best practice but not as specific to PAM as the other three.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Authentication checks who the user is.
Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
→Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
→Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
→Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related CAS-004 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Security Engineering and Cryptography — This question tests Security Engineering and Cryptography — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Record and monitor all privileged sessions — Just-in-time (JIT) access provisioning grants privileges only when needed, reducing standing privileges. Session recording and monitoring provides audit trails. Break-glass accounts provide emergency access with controls. MFA for all users is a general practice, but for PAM, JIT, session monitoring, and break-glass are specific. Password rotation is good but not a core PAM practice compared to the others.
What should I do if I get this CAS-004 question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related CAS-004 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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Question Discussion
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