The answer is that a deny entry for the Auditors group overrides the allow permission. This occurs because in NTFS access control list rules, a Deny entry explicitly blocks access and takes precedence over any Allow entries, regardless of the order in which they are applied. Since the user is a member of the Auditors group, the Deny for that group overrides any Allow permissions the user might have individually or through other group memberships. On the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity CC exam, this concept tests your understanding of ACL interpretation and the fundamental security principle that Deny always wins. A common trap is assuming that permissions are evaluated in a first-match order or that individual user rights can bypass group-level restrictions. Remember the mnemonic: “Deny denies all—it’s the final call.”
ISC2 CC Access Controls Concepts Practice Question
This CC practice question tests your understanding of access controls concepts. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. A user from the Auditors group is unable to access the folder. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
A deny entry for Auditors overrides the allow
In NTFS permissions, a Deny entry explicitly blocks access and takes precedence over any Allow entries, regardless of the order in which they are applied. Since the user is a member of the Auditors group, the Deny entry for that group overrides any Allow permissions the user might have individually or through other group memberships. This is the most likely cause of the access failure.
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.
✗
The user is not a member of the Auditors group
Why it's wrong here
The question states the user is from Auditors, so they are a member.
✓
A deny entry for Auditors overrides the allow
Why this is correct
The deny entry explicitly blocks read access, causing the failure despite the allow.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The Auditors group has only read permission, which is insufficient
Why it's wrong here
Read permission is typically sufficient to access the folder; the deny is the issue.
✗
The folder is encrypted
Why it's wrong here
No encryption is mentioned in the exhibit.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the principle that Deny entries override Allow entries in NTFS permissions, and the trap here is that candidates mistakenly think the order of permission entries or the most specific permission wins, rather than recognizing that Deny always takes precedence.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NTFS permissions are evaluated by combining all Allow and Deny entries from the user's individual account and all group memberships. Deny entries are processed first and always override Allow entries, a behavior defined by the NTFS permission precedence rules. In a real-world scenario, an administrator might inadvertently apply a Deny entry to a group that contains the user, causing unexpected access denials that are difficult to troubleshoot without checking effective permissions.
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: A deny entry for Auditors overrides the allow — In NTFS permissions, a Deny entry explicitly blocks access and takes precedence over any Allow entries, regardless of the order in which they are applied. Since the user is a member of the Auditors group, the Deny entry for that group overrides any Allow permissions the user might have individually or through other group memberships. This is the most likely cause of the access failure.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Based on the exhibit, which statement about the access control list is true?
medium
✓ A.All IP traffic is permitted except ICMP
B.HTTP traffic is denied
C.Only HTTP traffic is permitted
D.ICMP echo requests are permitted
Why A: The exhibit shows an access control list (ACL) that explicitly denies ICMP traffic with the entry 'deny icmp any any' and then permits all other IP traffic with 'permit ip any any'. Since ACLs are processed sequentially and the 'permit ip any any' matches all IP protocols (including HTTP, HTTPS, etc.) except those already denied, the result is that all IP traffic is permitted except ICMP. This makes option A correct.
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Question Discussion
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