mediumMultiple SelectObjective-mapped
ISC2 CC Practice Question: Which THREE of the following are examples of the…
Which THREE of the following are examples of the principle of least privilege? (Select THREE.)
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the principle of least privilege by including options that sound reasonable but grant excessive access, such as 'full access to the file server' or 'administrator rights to all employees,' to see if candidates recognize that even temporary or role-based access must be strictly limited to the minimum necessary.
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
✓
Granting a user only the permissions needed to perform their job
The principle of least privilege dictates that a user should be granted only the permissions necessary to perform their job functions. This minimizes the attack surface and limits potential damage from accidental or malicious actions. In practice, this means assigning specific roles or access control lists (ACLs) rather than broad permissions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Granting a user only the permissions needed to perform their job
Why this is correct
Correct. This is the essence of least privilege.
- ✗
Giving all employees full access to the file server
Why it's wrong here
This violates least privilege.
- ✓
Allowing a contractor access only during their contract period
Why this is correct
Correct. Time-limited access follows least privilege.
- ✓
Providing read-only access to a database for a reporting analyst
Why this is correct
Correct. Read-only is minimal necessary.
- ✗
Assigning administrator rights to all employees by default
Why it's wrong here
This violates least privilege.
Visual reference
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Access Control Fundamentals
Key term
Access control
Access control is the security practice of determining who or what is allowed to view, use, or enter a resource, and under what conditions.
Key term
Least privilege
Least privilege is a security principle that means giving users, systems, or programs only the minimum permissions they need to do their job and nothing more.
About these practice questions
One of 976 original CC practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.