The correct approach is to use role-based access control (RBAC) to grant permissions specific to each database administrator’s duties. RBAC directly enforces the principle of least privilege by mapping job functions—such as backup admin or security admin—to precisely defined sets of permissions, ensuring no user receives unnecessary access. On the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity CC exam, this concept tests your understanding of access control models; a common trap is confusing RBAC with mandatory access control (MAC), which relies on data classification labels rather than job roles. Remember that RBAC is role-centric, not label-centric. A useful memory tip: think “RBAC = Roles Before Access”—if the role doesn’t need it, the permission isn’t granted.
ISC2 CC Access Controls Concepts Practice Question
This CC practice question tests your understanding of access controls concepts. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
An organization wants to implement the principle of least privilege for its database administrators. Which approach best achieves this goal?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use role-based access control (RBAC) to grant permissions specific to each administrator's duties.
Role-based access control (RBAC) directly enforces the principle of least privilege by granting database administrators only the permissions required for their specific job functions. Unlike MAC, which focuses on data classification labels, RBAC maps roles (e.g., backup admin, security admin) to precise sets of privileges, ensuring no user has unnecessary access.
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.
✗
Implement mandatory access control (MAC) with labels for all data.
Why it's wrong here
MAC is more about classification than granular role-based permissions.
✓
Use role-based access control (RBAC) to grant permissions specific to each administrator's duties.
Why this is correct
RBAC aligns with least privilege by scoping permissions to roles.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Allow administrators to self-assign permissions as needed.
Why it's wrong here
Self-assignment undermines control and least privilege.
✗
Assign each administrator full database admin rights for simplicity.
Why it's wrong here
Full admin rights violate least privilege.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the distinction between MAC (which controls access based on data labels) and RBAC (which controls access based on job roles), and the trap here is that candidates mistakenly choose MAC because they associate 'least privilege' with strict classification systems, not realizing that RBAC is the practical, role-specific mechanism for limiting database administrator permissions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In a database context, RBAC is often implemented using SQL roles (e.g., `CREATE ROLE backup_admin; GRANT SELECT, BACKUP DATABASE TO backup_admin;`), which can be further refined with row-level security or column-level permissions. Under the hood, RBAC relies on a role hierarchy and session-based privilege activation, where a user's effective permissions are the union of all roles they are assigned, but only for the duration of the session. A real-world scenario is a financial database where a 'read-only auditor' role is granted `SELECT` on transaction tables but explicitly denied `INSERT`, `UPDATE`, or `DELETE`—a granularity that MAC labels alone cannot achieve without complex label-based access rules.
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: Use role-based access control (RBAC) to grant permissions specific to each administrator's duties. — Role-based access control (RBAC) directly enforces the principle of least privilege by granting database administrators only the permissions required for their specific job functions. Unlike MAC, which focuses on data classification labels, RBAC maps roles (e.g., backup admin, security admin) to precise sets of privileges, ensuring no user has unnecessary access.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best", "least". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. After a security audit, a company discovers that several employees have access to financial systems that are not required for their job roles. Which access control model would best prevent this issue in the future?
medium
A.Mandatory access control (MAC)
B.Discretionary access control (DAC)
✓ C.Role-based access control (RBAC)
D.Attribute-based access control (ABAC)
Why C: Role-based access control (RBAC) assigns permissions based on job roles, ensuring users have only the access needed for their role. DAC allows owners to give access arbitrarily, which could lead to over-provisioning. MAC is rigid and label-based, not ideal for dynamic business needs. ABAC is flexible but more complex to implement than RBAC for this scenario.
Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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