ISC2 CC Access Controls Concepts Practice Question
A system administrator has a regular user account for daily work and a separate account with elevated privileges. Which principle is being applied?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is that candidates might confuse least privilege with separation of duties; both involve limiting access, but least privilege is about minimizing permissions, while separation of duties is about dividing tasks among multiple people.
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 states that users should be granted only the minimum levels of access—or permissions—necessary to perform their job functions. By using a regular account for daily work and a separate elevated account only when needed, the administrator is limiting the exposure of privileged access, thus applying least privilege.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Separation of duties
Why it's wrong here
Separation of duties splits a single sensitive task across different people so no one completes it alone; here one administrator simply holds two accounts, which is least privilege with separate administrative credentials. Separation of duties is tempting because it also divides privileged work, and it would be correct where approval and execution of the same transaction must involve two distinct individuals.
- ✗
Need-to-know
Why it's wrong here
Need-to-know restricts access to information required for a specific task; the scenario concerns limiting standing privilege through a separate elevated account, which is least privilege. Need-to-know is tempting because both limit access, and it would be correct where a user cleared for a project must be denied unrelated classified data within the same clearance level.
- ✗
Defense in depth
Why it's wrong here
Defense in depth layers independent controls so one failure does not grant access; using two accounts is least privilege, reducing standing administrative rights. Defense in depth is tempting because separate accounts add a layer, and it would be correct where multiple overlapping controls such as firewalls, MFA and monitoring protect the same asset.
- ✓
Least privilege
Why this is correct
Separating a standard account from an elevated one limits privileged access to tasks that genuinely require it, applying least privilege. This satisfies the stem's scenario by preventing daily activities, such as browsing email, from running with administrative rights.
Go deeper
Related to this question
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
Exposure
Exposure is the measure of potential loss or harm to an organization's assets when a vulnerability is exploited by a threat, often expressed as the window of time or degree of access an attacker has.
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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.