ISC2 CC Security Principles Practice Question
An organization implements a policy requiring employees to use a smart card and a PIN to access the data center. This is an example of which type of authentication?
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
✓
Multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication combines two or more types: smart card (possession) and PIN (knowledge).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Multi-factor authentication
Why this is correct
Correct. Combines Type 2 (possession) and Type 1 (knowledge).
- ✗
Type 3 authentication
Why it's wrong here
Type 3 is inherence (biometrics).
- ✗
Single-factor authentication
Why it's wrong here
Using only one factor is single-factor; here two factors are used.
- ✗
Type 2 authentication only
Why it's wrong here
Since a PIN is also used, it is multi-factor.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Authentication and Authorization Methods
Key term
Common Access Card
A Common Access Card (CAC) is a smart card issued by the U.S. Department of Defense that serves as a single identification, authentication, and access credential for military personnel and contractors.
Key term
Policy
A policy is a set of rules or guidelines that defines how an organization manages, secures, and operates its IT systems and services.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every CC question from scratch — 976 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.