easyMultiple Choice
ISC2 CC Practice Question: Is a best practice for securing physical access…
Which of the following is a best practice for securing physical access to a data center?
⚠ Common exam trap
CC often tests the difference between single-factor and multi-factor authentication, and the misconception that CCTV alone is sufficient for physical security.
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
✓
Implement mantrap entry with biometric verification.
Implementing mantrap entry with biometric verification is a best practice because it enforces two-factor authentication (something you have, like a badge, and something you are, like a fingerprint) and prevents tailgating. Mantraps are interlocking doors that allow only one person at a time, enhancing physical security.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Allow employees to use personal badges for entry.
Why it's wrong here
Personal badges bypass the issuance, revocation and audit trail of a controlled access system, so a lost or cloned badge cannot be reliably deactivated. Organisations issue managed credentials tied to identity records. Personal badges suit low-security offices, not data centres requiring logged, revocable entry.
- ✓
Implement mantrap entry with biometric verification.
Why this is correct
Mantrap entry with biometric verification enforces single-person authentication at each interlocking door, preventing tailgating and unauthorised entry. This directly satisfies the stem's requirement for securing physical access, since biometrics bind access to an individual rather than a shared credential, and the mantrap physically constrains anyone attempting to follow through.
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Install CCTV only at the main entrance.
Why it's wrong here
CCTV at one entrance leaves server racks, loading bays and side doors unmonitored, so tailgating and after-hours entry go unrecorded. Cameras are tempting because they deter and document, yet coverage must span every ingress plus sensitive zones; single-point surveillance suits a small closet, not a data centre.
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Use a single-factor authentication for all doors.
Why it's wrong here
Single-factor authentication lets a lost badge or copied PIN alone open every door, defeating the layered control that data centres require. It appeals because it is cheap and fast for staff, and would suffice in a low-security office; here it must combine something held with something known, or biometrics.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Physical Access Controls
Key term
One-time Password
A one-time password is a temporary, single-use code that authenticates a user for one login session or transaction.
Key term
Tailgating
Tailgating is a physical security breach where an unauthorized person follows an authorized person into a restricted area without proper authentication.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISC2 exam blueprint
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.