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CISA Practice Question: Is implementing a new identity management system
An organization is implementing a new identity management system. Which THREE of the following are essential requirements for the system?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates mistake convenience features like SSO or advanced authentication methods like biometrics as essential requirements, when the core identity management system must enforce access control, automate provisioning, and integrate with existing directory services to be functional and auditable.
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
✓
Segregation of duties enforcement.
Segregation of duties enforcement is essential because it ensures that no single user has excessive privileges that could lead to fraud or error. In an identity management system, this is implemented through role-based access control (RBAC) and access review workflows, preventing conflicts of interest by separating critical functions like user creation, approval, and access assignment.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Segregation of duties enforcement.
Why this is correct
Enforcing SoD is critical to prevent fraud.
- ✗
Single sign-on capability.
Why it's wrong here
SSO is convenient but not an essential requirement.
- ✓
Automated user provisioning.
Why this is correct
Automation ensures timely and consistent access management.
- ✓
Integration with Active Directory.
Why this is correct
AD integration is typically required for user management.
- ✗
Support for biometric authentication.
Why it's wrong here
Biometrics is not essential; depends on risk posture.
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 |
Go deeper
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CISA practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISACA 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 CISA exam.