ISC2 CC Access Controls Concepts Practice Question
A security auditor discovers that a user's account has been granted full access to all financial databases, even though the user only needs to view quarterly reports. Which access control principle has been violated most directly?
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
Least privilege requires granting only the minimum permissions necessary to perform job functions.
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 this is correct
Granting full financial database access to a user who only views quarterly reports exceeds their job requirements. Least privilege requires granting only the minimum access needed for assigned duties, so this excessive entitlement violates that principle most directly.
- ✗
Separation of duties
Why it's wrong here
Separation of duties divides a critical process among different people so no individual controls it end to end; here one user simply holds excessive permissions. The violated principle is least privilege, granting only the access needed for the role. Separation of duties would be correct if the same person could both create and approve payments.
- ✗
Need-to-know
Why it's wrong here
Need-to-know limits access to data required for a specific task; the user's read-only reporting requirement was ignored, so least privilege was breached instead. Need-to-know is tempting because it sounds similar, but it governs whether classified information may be disclosed to a cleared person, not the breadth of database permissions granted.
- ✗
Defense in depth
Why it's wrong here
Defense in depth layers multiple independent controls; here a single over-permissioned account grant is the sole failure, so least privilege was violated. Defense in depth is tempting because auditors often cite layered controls, but it would be the answer if one control failed and others still blocked the access.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Access Control Fundamentals
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
Access control
Access control is the security practice of determining who or what is allowed to view, use, or enter a resource, and under what conditions.
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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.