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ISC2 CC Practice Question: A company's security policy mandates that all…
A company's security policy mandates that all changes to the firewall configuration must be approved by two different administrators before implementation. This is an example of which security principle?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests separation of duties by presenting scenarios that involve dual approval or task division, and the trap here is confusing it with least privilege, as both limit individual power but least privilege focuses on permissions scope rather than collaborative authorization.
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
✓
Separation of duties
The requirement for two different administrators to approve firewall configuration changes enforces separation of duties. This principle ensures that no single individual has the authority to make unilateral changes, reducing the risk of unauthorized or malicious modifications. In firewall management, this prevents a single admin from bypassing security controls or introducing backdoors without oversight.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Defense in depth
Why it's wrong here
Defence in depth layers multiple independent controls; it does not require two separate approvers for one change. It is tempting because approval workflows add a control layer, and it would be correct when combining firewalls, antivirus and patching.
- ✗
Need to know
Why it's wrong here
Need to know restricts data access to what a role requires, not change approval. It is tempting because it also limits exposure, and it would be correct when defining which files or systems an administrator may view.
- ✓
Separation of duties
Why this is correct
Requiring two different administrators to approve each firewall change splits authority over one sensitive action, preventing any single person from both authoring and authorising it. That division of duties is precisely the separation of duties principle.
- ✗
Least privilege
Why it's wrong here
Least privilege grants only the permissions needed for a task, not dual authorisation of changes. It is tempting because restricting firewall access feels related, and it would be correct when scoping an administrator's rights to specific commands.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Incident Response and Management
Key term
Risk
Risk is the possibility that an event or action will negatively affect an organization's ability to achieve its goals, often measured in terms of likelihood and impact.
Key term
Security policy
A security policy is a formal set of rules and guidelines that an organization establishes to protect its information assets and technology resources.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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