hardMultiple Choice
ISC2 CC Practice Question: Is implementing a new identity management system
An organization is implementing a new identity management system. They want to ensure that users can only access resources necessary for their job roles. Which principle should guide the access control design?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests least privilege versus need to know, where candidates mistakenly choose need to know because it sounds more specific, but least privilege is the broader, correct principle for general access control design in identity management.
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 dictates that users should be granted only the permissions necessary to perform their job functions and nothing more. In an identity management system, this is implemented by assigning minimal access rights to resources, reducing the attack surface and limiting potential damage from compromised accounts. This directly aligns with the scenario of ensuring users can only access resources essential for their roles.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Separation of duties
Why it's wrong here
Separation of duties splits a sensitive process across multiple people so no single actor completes it alone, preventing fraud. It addresses conflicting responsibilities, not limiting each user's access to job-relevant resources. It would be correct when designing approval workflows such as payment authorisation.
- ✓
Least privilege
Why this is correct
Least privilege grants each user only the permissions their role requires, nothing more. This directly enforces the stated goal that access is limited to resources necessary for job functions, reducing standing privilege and blast radius.
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Need to know
Why it's wrong here
Need to know restricts access to information required for a specific task, but the stem asks about resources tied to job roles across the organisation. Role-based least privilege is the guiding principle; need to know applies to granular, task-level data access rather than role entitlement design.
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Defense in depth
Why it's wrong here
Defense in depth layers independent controls so failure of one does not expose the asset; it governs how many controls you stack, not how entitlements are scoped. It is the right principle when designing overlapping technical, physical and administrative safeguards against a single threat.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Incident Response and Management
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.
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.
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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.