easyMultiple Choice
ISC2 CC Practice Question: Implements an access control system where users…
An organization implements an access control system where users are assigned to groups, and permissions are granted to groups rather than individuals. This is known as:
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between RBAC and ABAC by describing group-based assignment (RBAC) versus policy-based evaluation of multiple attributes (ABAC), leading candidates to confuse the two when the question mentions 'attributes' or 'policies'.
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
✓
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) assigns permissions to roles (or groups) rather than to individual users. Users are then made members of these roles, inheriting the permissions associated with the role. This matches the description in the question, where users are assigned to groups and permissions are granted to those groups.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Mandatory Access Control (MAC)
Why it's wrong here
MAC assigns sensitivity labels to objects and clearances to subjects, with the system enforcing access regardless of group membership. It is tempting because groups may hold clearances, but the stem's mechanism — permissions granted to groups rather than individuals — describes role-based access control.
- ✓
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
Why this is correct
Role-Based Access Control grants permissions to roles or groups rather than to individual users, so members inherit access through their group membership. This directly satisfies the stem's constraint that permissions are assigned to groups, not individuals, centralising administration and simplifying revocation when users change roles within the organization.
- ✗
Discretionary Access Control (DAC)
Why it's wrong here
DAC grants permissions at the owner's discretion, typically per individual object, so group-based assignment is incidental rather than defining. It is tempting because discretionary schemes often use group membership for convenience, but the stem's defining mechanism — permissions attached to groups rather than individuals — is role-based access control.
- ✗
Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC)
Why it's wrong here
ABAC evaluates attributes of subject, object and environment through policies, so permissions derive from attribute conditions, not group membership. It is tempting because groups can serve as one attribute, but the stem describes static group-to-permission assignment, which is role-based access control.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
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
Least privilege
Least privilege is a security principle that means giving users, systems, or programs only the minimum permissions they need to do their job and nothing more.
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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.