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ISC2 CC Which TWO are principles of access control? Practice Question
Which TWO are principles of access control?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between access control principles (like least privilege and separation of duties) and access control mechanisms or technologies (like multifactor authentication and SSO), causing candidates to confuse a method for a principle.
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
✓
Separation of duties
Separation of duties is a principle of access control that prevents any single individual from having excessive control over critical processes by dividing tasks and privileges among multiple people. This reduces the risk of fraud or error, as collusion is required to bypass controls. It is a foundational concept in security frameworks like NIST SP 800-53 and is often enforced through role-based access control (RBAC) policies.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
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
Principle that no single person has excessive control.
- ✗
Security through obscurity
Why it's wrong here
Obscurity is not a recommended principle.
- ✗
Multifactor authentication
Why it's wrong here
MFA is an authentication mechanism, not a principle.
- ✗
Single sign-on (SSO)
Why it's wrong here
SSO is a convenience mechanism, not a principle.
- ✓
Least privilege
Why this is correct
Principle that users have minimum permissions necessary.
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
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.
Key term
Separation of duties
Separation of duties is a security principle that splits critical tasks and privileges among multiple people to prevent fraud, errors, and abuse of power.
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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.