hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
ISC2 CC Practice Question: When implementing a role-based access control…
When implementing a role-based access control (RBAC) system, what is the primary challenge organizations face?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the misconception that the main difficulty in RBAC is defining roles themselves, when in fact the real operational challenge is controlling role proliferation (role explosion) after initial implementation.
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
✓
Role explosion
Role explosion is the primary challenge in RBAC because as organizations grow, the number of distinct roles can proliferate rapidly, leading to administrative overhead, complexity in role management, and potential security gaps. This occurs when roles are defined too granularly or for every unique combination of permissions, making it difficult to maintain least privilege and audit access. Proper RBAC design requires careful role engineering to minimize the number of roles while still mapping to job functions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Managing password complexity
Why it's wrong here
Password complexity is unrelated to RBAC.
- ✗
Ensuring users do not share passwords
Why it's wrong here
Password sharing is a general security issue, not specific to RBAC implementation.
- ✓
Role explosion
Why this is correct
Role explosion leads to administrative overhead and is a frequent pitfall in RBAC.
- ✗
Defining roles that align with job functions
Why it's wrong here
While challenging, role definition is not the primary issue; role explosion often occurs as a result.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to Security Principles
Key term
RBAC
RBAC is a method of restricting network access based on the roles of individual users within an organization, where permissions are assigned to roles rather than to individuals directly.
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.