ISC2 CC Access Controls Concepts Practice Question
This CC practice question tests your understanding of access controls concepts. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
```
show access-list 101
Standard IP access list 101
10 permit tcp any any eq 80
20 deny icmp any any
30 permit ip any any
```
Based on the exhibit, which statement about the access control list is true?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
All IP traffic is permitted except ICMP
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.
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.
✓
All IP traffic is permitted except ICMP
Why this is correct
Line 10 permits HTTP, line 20 denies ICMP, line 30 permits all other IP.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the sequential nature of ACLs and the fact that 'permit ip any any' permits all IP protocols except those explicitly denied earlier, leading candidates to mistakenly think ICMP is permitted or that only HTTP is allowed.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Cisco IOS, an ACL is processed top-down until a match is found; the implicit 'deny any any' at the end is overridden by the explicit 'permit ip any any' in this case. The 'ip' keyword in 'permit ip any any' matches all protocols in the IP suite (e.g., TCP, UDP, GRE, ESP) except those explicitly denied earlier. This is a common pattern for allowing all traffic while blocking a specific protocol like ICMP, often used to prevent ping sweeps while maintaining other connectivity.
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: All IP traffic is permitted except ICMP — 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.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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