hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
Privilege Creep Condition
A company uses role-based access control (RBAC). An employee moves from one department to another but retains some previous access due to overlapping role permissions. This condition is known as:
Quick Answer
The correct answer is privilege creep. This condition arises when an employee accumulates access rights over time, such as moving between departments under role-based access control (RBAC) without the removal of prior permissions, often due to overlapping role memberships that are not revoked. On the Certified Information Systems Auditor CISA exam, this concept tests your understanding of access control maintenance and the principle of least privilege, frequently appearing in scenario-based questions about user provisioning and deprovisioning. A common trap is confusing privilege creep with segregation of duties conflicts, but the key distinction is that creep focuses on excessive entitlements from role changes, not incompatible duties. To remember it, think of “creep” as permissions that slowly “crawl” forward with each role change, never being cleaned up.
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse privilege creep with access aggregation, as both involve excessive permissions, but privilege creep specifically results from role changes over time rather than combining separate low-level privileges into a high-risk action.
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
✓
Privilege creep
Privilege creep occurs when an employee accumulates access rights over time, often due to role changes or lateral moves, without corresponding removal of previous permissions. In RBAC, overlapping role permissions can cause this condition when old role memberships are not revoked, leading to excessive entitlements that violate the principle of least privilege.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Access aggregation
Why it's wrong here
Access aggregation is not a standard term; privilege creep is more specific.
- ✓
Privilege creep
Why this is correct
Privilege creep is the gradual accumulation of access rights beyond what is needed, often due to role changes.
- ✗
Segregation of duties conflict
Why it's wrong here
Segregation of duties conflict occurs when a single user has conflicting roles, not accumulated access.
- ✗
Entitlement explosion
Why it's wrong here
Entitlement explosion is not a standard CISA term for this scenario.
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 |
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on CISA
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. An organization uses role-based access control (RBAC) for its enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. What is the greatest risk if user role assignments are not reviewed regularly?
medium- A.Inconsistent application of password policies across roles.
- ✓ B.Privilege creep, where users retain permissions no longer needed.
- C.Increased authentication failures due to expired passwords.
- D.Inability to track audit logs for user activity.
Why B: In RBAC, permissions are assigned to roles, and users inherit those permissions through role membership. Without regular reviews, users may retain roles (and thus permissions) long after their job functions change, leading to privilege creep. This violates the principle of least privilege and increases the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches within the ERP system.
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.