ISC2 CC Security Principles Practice Question
A software development company wants to ensure that only authorized code changes are deployed to production. The security team proposes that developers should not have direct write access to the production environment, and that all code must be reviewed and approved by a different team member before deployment. Which security principle does this proposal primarily enforce?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is focusing on the removal of direct write access as least privilege, when the more significant control is the mandatory review by a different person, which is separation of duties.
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 proposal enforces separation of duties by requiring that code changes are reviewed and approved by someone other than the developer, and by preventing developers from directly writing to production. This ensures that no single person can both create and deploy code without oversight. Least privilege, defense in depth, and non-repudiation address different aspects of security and do not capture the dual-control requirement.
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
Defense in depth uses multiple layers of controls to protect assets. While the proposal adds controls, its core purpose is not to create overlapping layers but to separate the roles of writing and deploying code. Defense in depth would involve additional security measures like firewalls or monitoring, not specifically the division of a single task among people.
- ✓
Separation of duties
Why this is correct
Separation of duties ensures that a critical task is divided among multiple people so that no single individual can complete it without oversight. By requiring code to be reviewed and approved by a different team member and denying developers direct production write access, the company prevents one person from both authoring and deploying changes. This directly enforces separation of duties in the software deployment process.
- ✗
Least privilege
Why it's wrong here
Least privilege restricts users to the minimum access needed for their job. While removing direct write access does limit privileges, the proposal's main goal is to prevent a single developer from both writing and deploying code without oversight. Least privilege alone would not require a separate reviewer, so it does not fully capture the control being enforced.
- ✗
Non-repudiation
Why it's wrong here
Non-repudiation ensures that actions can be traced to a specific individual and cannot be denied, often through digital signatures or logs. The proposal does not focus on proving who did what; it focuses on preventing one person from completing a sensitive task alone. Non-repudiation is a detective and legal concept, not the preventive dual-control principle described here.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Access Control Fundamentals
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.
Key term
Defense in depth
Defense in depth is a cybersecurity strategy that uses multiple layers of security controls to protect information and systems, so if one layer fails, another layer is already in place to stop the attack.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISC2 exam blueprint
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.