Quick Answer
The answer is performing a user access review. This is the correct first step in implementing an IAM program because it establishes a critical baseline of current access rights, revealing segregation of duties conflicts, orphaned accounts, and excessive privileges that must be remediated before any new controls are deployed. Without this foundational assessment, subsequent technologies like single sign-on or multi-factor authentication would be layered onto an insecure or non-compliant access framework, directly violating the principle of least privilege and risking audit failure. On the CISA exam, this question tests your understanding that IAM implementation is a governance-first process, not a technology rollout; a common trap is choosing “implement SSO” or “define policies,” but the audit perspective demands evidence of current-state analysis before any changes. Remember the mnemonic “Review Before You Reinforce”—you cannot secure what you have not yet measured.
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of protection of information assets. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
What is the FIRST step in implementing an identity and access management (IAM) program?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Selecting an IAM vendor.
Why wrong: Vendor selection comes after requirements.
Performing a user access review.
Understanding current access is the foundational step.
Implementing multi-factor authentication.
Why wrong: MFA is a specific control, not the first step.
Deploying single sign-on (SSO).
Why wrong: SSO is an implementation after planning.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Performing a user access review.
Performing a user access review is the first step because it establishes a baseline of current access rights, identifies segregation of duties conflicts, and uncovers orphaned accounts or excessive privileges. Without this foundational assessment, subsequent IAM controls like SSO or MFA would be deployed on an insecure or non-compliant access framework, violating the principle of 'least privilege' and potentially failing audit requirements.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Selecting an IAM vendor.
Why it's wrong here
Vendor selection comes after requirements.
Performing a user access review.
Why this is correct
Understanding current access is the foundational step.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Implementing multi-factor authentication.
Why it's wrong here
MFA is a specific control, not the first step.
Deploying single sign-on (SSO).
Why it's wrong here
SSO is an implementation after planning.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'first step' with 'most visible security control' and select MFA or SSO, forgetting that IAM must begin with a discovery and cleanup phase to ensure the foundation is secure before adding layers.
Detailed technical explanation
A user access review typically involves extracting entitlement data from directories (e.g., Active Directory, LDAP) and application databases, then mapping users to roles and permissions using tools like SAP GRC or SailPoint. Under the hood, this process often relies on SCIM (System for Cross-domain Identity Management) or custom SQL queries to compare actual access against a predefined role matrix, flagging anomalies such as users with direct administrative group memberships that bypass role-based access control (RBAC). In a real-world scenario, a financial institution might discover during the review that a terminated contractor still has access to the SWIFT payment system, which would be missed if SSO or MFA were deployed first.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Protection of Information Assets — This question tests Protection of Information Assets — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Performing a user access review. — Performing a user access review is the first step because it establishes a baseline of current access rights, identifies segregation of duties conflicts, and uncovers orphaned accounts or excessive privileges. Without this foundational assessment, subsequent IAM controls like SSO or MFA would be deployed on an insecure or non-compliant access framework, violating the principle of 'least privilege' and potentially failing audit requirements.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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