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ISC2 CC Practice Question: During a security audit, it is discovered that a…
During a security audit, it is discovered that a single administrator can create user accounts, assign privileges, and review audit logs. Which principle is most likely being violated?
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
✓
Separation of duties
Separation of duties requires that conflicting critical tasks be performed by different individuals to prevent fraud or error. The administrator has both operational and oversight roles, violating this principle.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Separation of duties
Why this is correct
Separation of duties requires splitting sensitive functions across different people so no single account controls an entire process. One administrator holding account creation, privilege assignment and audit review concentrates incompatible duties, removing the checks that would otherwise detect abuse.
- ✗
Least privilege
Why it's wrong here
Least privilege limits each account to the minimum access needed for its tasks; the administrator here legitimately holds all three functions, so the violation is combining incompatible duties, not excessive permissions. Least privilege is tempting because privileged accounts are involved, but separation of duties is the principle breached.
- ✗
Need to know
Why it's wrong here
Need to know restricts access to information required for a specific task; the administrator's problem is holding three conflicting duties, not seeing data beyond their remit. It is tempting because audit logs are sensitive, but the stem describes role conflict, which separation of duties addresses.
- ✗
Defense in depth
Why it's wrong here
Defense in depth concerns layered, overlapping controls, not the concentration of account creation, privilege assignment and log review in one administrator. It is tempting because audit findings often cite missing layers, but the stem describes one person holding incompatible duties, which is separation of duties.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Key term
Separation of duties
Separation of duties is a security principle that splits critical tasks and privileges among multiple people to prevent fraud, errors, and abuse of power.
Key term
Audit
An audit is a systematic, independent review of IT systems, processes, and controls to verify compliance with policies, standards, and regulations.
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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.