- A
Mandatory access control, because a central authority labels each expense report by sensitivity.
Why wrong: MAC is driven by centrally assigned labels, but the scenario is about business roles and auditability, not classification labels.
- B
Role-based access control, because permissions are assigned by job function and tied to named users.
RBAC matches a finance workflow where users inherit permissions based on job roles such as approver, reviewer, or auditor. It is easy to administer, supports least privilege, and works well when access should be consistent for groups with similar duties. The requirement to trace approvals to individuals is also satisfied when each person uses a unique account and actions are logged.
- C
Discretionary access control, because individual employees decide who can approve expenses.
Why wrong: DAC lets resource owners share permissions at their discretion, which is less controlled than the role-driven model described.
- D
Rule-based access control, because approval rights are determined only by the time of day.
Why wrong: Rule-based access can enforce conditions, but the question focuses on job-based assignment rather than conditional timing rules.
SY0-701 General Security Concepts Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of general security concepts. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
An organization is redesigning access for a finance application. Employees should be able to approve expense reports only within their assigned job roles, and every approval must be traceable to the individual user who performed it. Which access model best fits this requirement?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Role-based access control, because permissions are assigned by job function and tied to named users.
Role-based access control (RBAC) is the correct choice because it assigns permissions based on job functions (e.g., 'Finance Approver') and links those permissions to named user accounts. This ensures that only employees in the appropriate role can approve expense reports, and each approval action is logged against the specific user, providing non-repudiation and traceability.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Mandatory access control, because a central authority labels each expense report by sensitivity.
Why it's wrong here
MAC is driven by centrally assigned labels, but the scenario is about business roles and auditability, not classification labels.
- ✓
Role-based access control, because permissions are assigned by job function and tied to named users.
Why this is correct
RBAC matches a finance workflow where users inherit permissions based on job roles such as approver, reviewer, or auditor. It is easy to administer, supports least privilege, and works well when access should be consistent for groups with similar duties. The requirement to trace approvals to individuals is also satisfied when each person uses a unique account and actions are logged.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Discretionary access control, because individual employees decide who can approve expenses.
Why it's wrong here
DAC lets resource owners share permissions at their discretion, which is less controlled than the role-driven model described.
- ✗
Rule-based access control, because approval rights are determined only by the time of day.
Why it's wrong here
Rule-based access can enforce conditions, but the question focuses on job-based assignment rather than conditional timing rules.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'rule-based access control' (which uses condition-based rules like time-of-day) with 'role-based access control' (which uses job functions), leading them to select option D despite the question's clear focus on job roles and user traceability.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
MAC is driven by centrally assigned labels, but the scenario is about business roles and auditability, not classification labels.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In RBAC, permissions are associated with roles (e.g., 'Expense Approver'), and users are assigned to roles via a role assignment relation. The finance application would implement RBAC by mapping each user's identity to a role in a directory service (e.g., Active Directory or LDAP), and the application's access control engine checks role membership before allowing an approval action. Audit logs capture the user's unique identifier (e.g., SAMAccountName) along with the action timestamp, satisfying traceability requirements under frameworks like SOX or PCI DSS.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
General Security Concepts — This question tests General Security Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Role-based access control, because permissions are assigned by job function and tied to named users. — Role-based access control (RBAC) is the correct choice because it assigns permissions based on job functions (e.g., 'Finance Approver') and links those permissions to named user accounts. This ensures that only employees in the appropriate role can approve expense reports, and each approval action is logged against the specific user, providing non-repudiation and traceability.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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