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ISC2 CC Practice Question: A financial company requires that any transaction…
A financial company requires that any transaction over $10,000 must be approved by two different managers before being processed. This is an example of which access control principle?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between Dual Control and Separation of Duties, where Dual Control implies simultaneous action (e.g., two keys turned together) while Separation of Duties implies sequential or divided responsibilities, causing candidates to mistakenly choose Dual Control when the question describes sequential approval.
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 managers to approve a transaction over $10,000 enforces Separation of Duties (SoD). This access control principle ensures that no single individual has the authority to execute a high-risk action alone, thereby preventing fraud or error by splitting critical tasks across multiple roles. In this scenario, one manager cannot both initiate and approve the transaction, which directly aligns with SoD's goal of distributing responsibility.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Least Privilege
Why it's wrong here
Least Privilege limits permissions to the minimum needed, but does not involve multiple approvals.
- ✗
Need-to-Know
Why it's wrong here
Need-to-Know restricts information access based on job requirements, not task segregation.
- ✗
Dual Control
Why it's wrong here
Dual Control is a specific implementation of SoD but SoD is the overarching principle.
- ✓
Separation of Duties
Why this is correct
SoD ensures that no single individual has complete control over a sensitive process by requiring multiple approvals.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Risk Management and Security Controls
Key term
Separation of duties
Separation of duties is a security principle that splits critical tasks and privileges among multiple people to prevent fraud, errors, and abuse of power.
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.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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