- A
Separation of duties
Why wrong: Separation of duties prevents one person from having conflicting responsibilities; not directly related to stale accounts.
- B
Least privilege
The former employee no longer needs any access, so the account violates least privilege by still having permissions.
- C
Defense in depth
Why wrong: Defense in depth uses multiple layers of security; a single stale account does not violate this principle.
- D
Mandatory access control
Why wrong: MAC is a model using labels; not relevant to account deactivation.
Question 491 of 750
Why Keeping Former Employee Accounts Active Violates Least Privilege
This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of logical security concepts. 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.
During a security audit, it is discovered that a former employee's user account is still active and has been used to log in remotely three times in the past month. Which logical security principle has been violated?
Quick Answer
The answer is the principle of least privilege. This security principle mandates that users and accounts are granted only the minimum level of access—permissions, rights, and resources—necessary to perform their legitimate job functions. A former employee’s account that remains active, especially one with remote login capabilities, directly violates this because the individual no longer has any job duties requiring access, making any use of that account an unnecessary and dangerous expansion of privilege. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of account lifecycle management and logical security controls; a common trap is confusing least privilege with authentication failures or physical security, but the core issue here is that the account should have been disabled upon termination to prevent unauthorized access. Remember the mnemonic: “If they don’t work, don’t let them lurk—disable the account to keep least privilege intact.”
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
✓
Least privilege
The correct answer is B, least privilege. The principle of least privilege requires that users be granted only the minimum access rights necessary to perform their job functions. A former employee's account remaining active and being used for remote logins violates this principle because the account should have been disabled or deleted upon termination, removing all access privileges.
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.
- ✗
Separation of duties
Why it's wrong here
Separation of duties prevents one person from having conflicting responsibilities; not directly related to stale accounts.
- ✓
Least privilege
Why this is correct
The former employee no longer needs any access, so the account violates least privilege by still having permissions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Defense in depth
Why it's wrong here
Defense in depth uses multiple layers of security; a single stale account does not violate this principle.
- ✗
Mandatory access control
Why it's wrong here
MAC is a model using labels; not relevant to account deactivation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests least privilege by presenting a scenario involving account termination or excessive permissions, and the trap here is confusing it with separation of duties, which focuses on task division rather than access minimization.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In practice, least privilege is enforced through identity and access management (IAM) systems that automate account provisioning and deprovisioning. For example, when an employee leaves, an HR system triggers a directory service (e.g., Active Directory) to disable the account and revoke all group memberships, including remote access VPN or RDP permissions. Failure to do so leaves a stale account that can be exploited via credential reuse or brute-force attacks, as seen in many real-world breaches where former employees accessed systems months after termination.
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 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
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1202 question test?
Logical Security Concepts — This question tests Logical Security Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Least privilege — The correct answer is B, least privilege. The principle of least privilege requires that users be granted only the minimum access rights necessary to perform their job functions. A former employee's account remaining active and being used for remote logins violates this principle because the account should have been disabled or deleted upon termination, removing all access privileges.
What should I do if I get this 220-1202 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This 220-1202 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1202 exam.
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