easyMultiple Choice
ISC2 CC Practice Question: A security administrator notices that a user with…
A security administrator notices that a user with standard privileges was able to modify a system file. Which security principle has been violated?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests least privilege by presenting a scenario where a user performs an action beyond their role, and the trap is confusing it with need to know (which focuses on data access, not system-level permissions) or separation of duties (which involves task division, not permission granularity).
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
✓
Least privilege
The principle of least privilege requires that users be granted only the permissions necessary to perform their job functions. A standard user modifying a system file indicates they have been assigned unnecessary administrative rights, violating this principle. This could occur if the user is a member of a group like Administrators or has been granted explicit write access to protected directories such as %SystemRoot%\System32.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Need to know
Why it's wrong here
Need to know governs data access, not file modification rights; the breach here is excessive permission to alter a system file, which least privilege addresses. It is tempting because need to know restricts access to information on a task basis, and would be correct if the user had read data beyond their remit.
- ✗
Defense in depth
Why it's wrong here
Defense in depth layers multiple independent controls, so it is not the principle governing a standard user's ability to modify a system file. Least privilege is the violated principle: the user held write access exceeding their role. Defense in depth would be the answer had several overlapping controls failed simultaneously.
- ✓
Least privilege
Why this is correct
Least privilege was violated because the standard user held permissions exceeding their role's requirements, allowing modification of a system file. This principle restricts accounts to only the access necessary for their tasks, so any write capability beyond that scope directly breaches the constraint the stem describes.
- ✗
Separation of duties
Why it's wrong here
Separation of duties splits a sensitive task across multiple people so no single account completes it alone, such as requiring two administrators to approve a payment. Here the user acted solo and succeeded, so the failure is that file permissions granted write access to a standard user, not that duties were combined.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Key term
User
A user is any person, system, or device that interacts with an IT service, resource, or identity system, typically authenticated through credentials and authorized to perform specific actions.
Key term
Least privilege
Least privilege is a security principle that means giving users, systems, or programs only the minimum permissions they need to do their job and nothing more.
About these practice questions
This CC question is part of Courseiva's 989-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CC practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CC exam.