ISC2 CC Access Controls Concepts Practice Question
An organization's password policy requires passwords to be at least 8 characters long and prohibits common passwords found in breach databases. This policy aligns with which guideline?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse governance/management frameworks (COBIT, ISO 27001) with technical identity guidelines — candidates often pick ISO 27001 because it 'sounds like security policy,' missing that only NIST SP 800-63B prescribes the specific password rules described.
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
✓
NIST SP 800-63
NIST SP 800-63 (Digital Identity Guidelines) explicitly addresses authenticator and memorized-secret requirements, including minimum length and screening against breached-password lists (e.g., in SP 800-63B, section 5.1.1.2). The described policy — 8-character minimum plus blocklist of common/breached passwords — mirrors NIST's guidance almost verbatim.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
COBIT
Why it's wrong here
COBIT is an IT governance and management framework covering processes and objectives, not password composition rules. It is tempting because COBIT addresses security governance broadly, but it would be correct only when the question concerns aligning IT with business objectives rather than specific credential guidelines.
- ✗
ISO 27001
Why it's wrong here
ISO 27001 is a management-system standard governing risk assessment and control selection, not a prescriptive password rulebook, so it never mandates the 8-character minimum or breach-list screening described. It is tempting because ISO 27001 Annex A does list access-control controls, and it would be the right answer if the stem asked which framework an ISMS should be certified against.
- ✓
NIST SP 800-63
Why this is correct
NIST SP 800-63 mandates an eight-character minimum and screens new passwords against breach corpora, directly satisfying both the length floor and the ban on compromised credentials. Its guidance also favours length over forced complexity and rotation, matching the policy's emphasis on breached-password blocking rather than composition rules.
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PCI DSS
Why it's wrong here
PCI DSS applies only to organisations storing, processing or transmitting cardholder data; its password requirements (minimum length, lockout, history) bind those entities, not the general policy described. It is tempting because PCI DSS does specify password length and prohibits weak passwords, and it would be correct if the scenario involved payment-card systems.
Go deeper
Related to this question
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.
Key term
Organization
An Organization is a top-level container in Google Cloud that represents your company or entities and serves as the root node for all your cloud resources, policies, and access control.
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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.