The answer is to submit a request for temporary access approval via change management. This is correct because in a properly implemented RBAC system, any deviation from assigned roles—such as granting an Analyst temporary read access to a Manager-only file—must follow the RBAC temporary access request procedure to uphold the principle of least privilege and maintain a clear audit trail. On the CISA exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the Protection of Information Assets domain, specifically how access control changes must be formally controlled and monitored to prevent unauthorized privilege escalation. A common trap is choosing an ad-hoc solution like a manager simply overriding permissions, which bypasses security controls and violates change management discipline. Remember the memory tip: “Temp access needs a paper trail—change management never fails.”
CISA Protection of Information Assets Practice Question
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.
An organization has implemented a role-based access control (RBAC) system. A user complains that they cannot access a file needed to complete a critical task. The file's permission indicates that only the 'Manager' role has read access. The user is assigned to the 'Analyst' role. Which of the following is the BEST course of action?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Submit a request for temporary access approval via change management
Option B is correct because in a properly implemented RBAC system, access changes must follow the principle of least privilege and be formally approved through change management to maintain audit trails and security controls. Granting temporary access via a documented change request ensures that the access is justified, time-bound, and reviewed, preventing unauthorized privilege escalation. This aligns with the CISA domain of Protection of Information Assets, where access control changes must be controlled and monitored.
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.
✗
Assign the user to the Manager role temporarily
Why it's wrong here
This gives the user all Manager privileges, potentially excessive.
✓
Submit a request for temporary access approval via change management
Why this is correct
This follows proper authorization and maintains security.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create a new role with only read access to that file
Why it's wrong here
Creating a new role is complex and may not be necessary for a one-time need.
✗
Change the file permissions to include Analyst role
Why it's wrong here
This could grant access to all Analysts, maybe not intended.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose to change file permissions or create a new role (options C or D) because they focus on the immediate technical fix, ignoring the governance and audit requirements that mandate formal change management for any access control modification.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
RBAC systems like Microsoft Active Directory or Unix/Linux with SELinux rely on role definitions that map to permissions via role assignments, not direct user-to-object permissions. The file's ACL (Access Control List) shows an explicit entry for the 'Manager' role, meaning the system checks role membership at access time; changing the ACL directly would break the role abstraction. In practice, a change management process for temporary access often involves creating a time-limited role assignment or using a privileged access management (PAM) tool that grants just-in-time (JIT) access, ensuring the access is logged and automatically revoked.
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: Submit a request for temporary access approval via change management — Option B is correct because in a properly implemented RBAC system, access changes must follow the principle of least privilege and be formally approved through change management to maintain audit trails and security controls. Granting temporary access via a documented change request ensures that the access is justified, time-bound, and reviewed, preventing unauthorized privilege escalation. This aligns with the CISA domain of Protection of Information Assets, where access control changes must be controlled and monitored.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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