Quick Answer
The correct answer is Defense in Depth, along with Least Privilege and Separation of Duties, as these three are the fundamental security principles tested on the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity CC exam. Defense in Depth is a layered security strategy that uses multiple, overlapping controls—such as firewalls, encryption, and physical barriers—so that if one layer fails, others still protect the asset. Separation of Duties prevents any single person from having excessive control by splitting critical tasks among multiple individuals, reducing fraud and error risks, while Least Privilege ensures users only have the minimum access needed to perform their job. On the CC exam, these principles often appear in scenario-based questions where you must identify which control aligns with each principle; a common trap is confusing Separation of Duties with dual control, but remember that Separation of Duties divides responsibilities, while dual control requires two people to act simultaneously. A useful memory tip is the acronym LSD: Least privilege, Separation of duties, and Defense in depth.
This CC practice question tests your understanding of security principles. 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.
Which THREE of the following are considered fundamental security principles? (Select three).
Separation of duties
Correct. Separation of duties is a key principle to prevent fraud and error.
Single sign-on
Why wrong: Single sign-on is an authentication convenience, not a security principle.
Hashing
Why wrong: Hashing is a cryptographic function, not a security principle.
Least privilege
Correct. Least privilege is a core security principle.
Defense in depth
Correct. Defense in depth is a fundamental principle of layered security.
Answer choices
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 is a fundamental security principle that prevents any single individual from having excessive control over critical processes by dividing responsibilities among multiple people. This reduces the risk of fraud, error, or abuse, as collusion would be required to bypass controls. It is a core concept in access control models and compliance frameworks like SOX and PCI DSS.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
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
Correct. Separation of duties is a key principle to prevent fraud and error.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Single sign-on
Why it's wrong here
Single sign-on is an authentication convenience, not a security principle.
Hashing
Why it's wrong here
Hashing is a cryptographic function, not a security principle.
Least privilege
Why this is correct
Correct. Least privilege is a core security principle.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Defense in depth
Why this is correct
Correct. Defense in depth is a fundamental principle of layered security.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
ISC2 often tests the distinction between a security principle (a high-level design guideline) and a security mechanism (a specific tool or technology), so candidates mistakenly select SSO or hashing because they are security-related, but they are not fundamental principles.
Detailed technical explanation
Separation of duties relies on the principle of least privilege and is often enforced through role-based access control (RBAC) with mutually exclusive roles. For example, in a financial system, the person who creates a purchase order should not also approve it; this is implemented by assigning distinct permissions to separate user accounts. Real-world scenarios include preventing a system administrator from also being the auditor, ensuring no single point of failure in trust.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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.
What to study next
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FAQ
Security Principles — This question tests Security Principles — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Separation of duties — Separation of duties is a fundamental security principle that prevents any single individual from having excessive control over critical processes by dividing responsibilities among multiple people. This reduces the risk of fraud, error, or abuse, as collusion would be required to bypass controls. It is a core concept in access control models and compliance frameworks like SOX and PCI DSS.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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.
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