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CISA Practice Question: Which TWO are primary objectives of an identity…
Which TWO are primary objectives of an identity and access management (IAM) program? (Select exactly 2.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse IAM with general security controls like encryption or network monitoring, but IAM strictly deals with identity lifecycle, authentication, authorization, and access governance, not data protection or network-level defenses.
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
✓
Ensuring appropriate access to resources.
The primary objective of an IAM program is to ensure that the right individuals have access to the appropriate resources at the right time for the right reasons. This is achieved through authentication, authorization, and access control mechanisms such as Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) or Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC). Without this, the organization cannot enforce security policies or maintain audit trails.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Ensuring appropriate access to resources.
Why this is correct
Core IAM objective.
- ✓
Enforcing least privilege principle.
Why this is correct
Key IAM principle.
- ✗
Encrypting data at rest and in transit.
Why it's wrong here
Encryption is not an IAM objective.
- ✗
Patching software vulnerabilities.
Why it's wrong here
Patching is vulnerability management.
- ✗
Monitoring network traffic for anomalies.
Why it's wrong here
Network monitoring is separate.
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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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.