The correct answer is Deny permissions, along with file ownership and group membership. This is because in both Linux POSIX ACLs and Windows NTFS, a deny entry explicitly overrides any allow permissions, so even if a user appears to have the correct rights, a deny rule will block access. Additionally, the system checks the file’s owner and group first; if the user is not the owner or a member of the owning group, the “other” permissions apply, which may unexpectedly deny access. On the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity CC exam, this question tests your understanding of how access control models evaluate permissions hierarchically—a common trap is assuming that a user’s effective permissions are simply the sum of their group memberships. Remember the mnemonic “DOG” for Deny, Owner, Group—always check these three before assuming a permission mismatch.
ISC2 CC Access Controls Concepts Practice Question
This CC practice question tests your understanding of access controls concepts. 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.
A security analyst is troubleshooting an access control issue where a user cannot access a file even though they seem to have the correct permissions. Which three of the following should the analyst investigate? (Select THREE)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
File ownership
File ownership (A) is correct because Linux and Windows access control models (POSIX ACLs, NTFS) check the file's owner and group before applying permissions. If the user is not the owner or in the owning group, the 'other' permissions apply, which may deny access even if the user has a seemingly matching permission entry. The analyst must verify the file's owner and group against the user's identity.
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.
✓
File ownership
Why this is correct
File ownership can affect permissions, especially in systems with owner-specific privileges.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Password expiration
Why it's wrong here
Password expiration would prevent login but not specifically block access to a single file.
✓
Group membership of the user
Why this is correct
The user might not be in the expected group, or the group may have different permissions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Deny permissions
Why this is correct
Deny entries override allow permissions and can cause unexpected access failures.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Network connectivity
Why it's wrong here
Network issues would disrupt all remote access, not just to one file.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the misconception that 'effective permissions' are simply the sum of all allow entries, when in fact deny permissions explicitly override allows, and group membership must be checked recursively (including nested groups).
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, when a process requests file access, the kernel performs a permission check using the file's inode metadata (owner UID, group GID, and mode bits or ACL entries). In NTFS, the Security Reference Monitor walks the DACL in order, stopping at the first access-denied ACE (deny permissions take precedence over allow). A common real-world scenario is a user added to a group that has an explicit deny ACE, which overrides any allow permissions from other group memberships.
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 security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CC question in full detail.
Access Controls Concepts — This question tests Access Controls Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: File ownership — File ownership (A) is correct because Linux and Windows access control models (POSIX ACLs, NTFS) check the file's owner and group before applying permissions. If the user is not the owner or in the owning group, the 'other' permissions apply, which may deny access even if the user has a seemingly matching permission entry. The analyst must verify the file's owner and group against the user's identity.
What should I do if I get this CC question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.