The answer is the least privilege principle. This principle is violated because it requires that users be granted only the minimum permissions necessary to perform their job functions, and in this scenario, finance department users have unnecessary access to HR payroll data, which directly contradicts that requirement by providing more access than needed. On the Certified Information Systems Auditor CISA exam, this concept tests your understanding of foundational access control models, often appearing in scenario-based questions where excessive permissions or role creep are described. A common trap is confusing least privilege with separation of duties, which focuses on dividing critical tasks to prevent fraud, not on limiting access scope. To remember it, think of the mnemonic “Need to Know, Not Nice to Know”—if access isn’t strictly required for the job, it’s a least privilege violation.
CISA Protection of Information Assets Practice Question
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of protection of information assets. 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.
During a security audit, it was found that users in the finance department have unnecessary access to HR payroll data. Which access control principle has been violated?
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 least privilege principle dictates that users should be granted only the minimum permissions necessary to perform their job functions. In this scenario, finance department users have unnecessary access to HR payroll data, directly violating this principle by providing more access than required.
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
Why it's wrong here
MAC is a model based on labels, not a principle violated by unnecessary access.
✓
Least privilege
Why this is correct
Least privilege requires that users have only the minimum access necessary to perform their job functions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Separation of duties
Why it's wrong here
Separation of duties prevents fraud by dividing tasks, but does not address unnecessary access.
✗
Need to know
Why it's wrong here
Need-to-know is a part of least privilege; the core violation is excessive privileges beyond job functions.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing 'least privilege' with 'need to know' — need to know is a subset of least privilege that focuses on data classification, but the question explicitly describes unnecessary access to a different department's data, making least privilege the broader and correct violation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Least privilege is implemented via role-based access control (RBAC) or attribute-based access control (ABAC) in systems like Active Directory or Unix file permissions (e.g., chmod 750). A real-world scenario: a finance analyst with read/write access to HR payroll tables in a SQL database could exfiltrate salary data, whereas least privilege would restrict access to only finance-specific tables (e.g., accounts_payable) via granular GRANT statements.
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Protection of Information Assets — This question tests Protection of Information Assets — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Least privilege — The least privilege principle dictates that users should be granted only the minimum permissions necessary to perform their job functions. In this scenario, finance department users have unnecessary access to HR payroll data, directly violating this principle by providing more access than required.
What should I do if I get this CISA 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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Question Discussion
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