Quick Answer
The answer is biometric door locks and security guards. Biometric door locks are a physical access control because they use unique biological traits, such as fingerprints or retinal scans, to verify identity before granting entry, directly preventing unauthorized physical access to a facility or server room. Security guards serve as a human barrier to unauthorized entry, monitoring and challenging individuals who attempt to access restricted areas, enforcing physical security policies through observation, verification, and intervention. On the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity CC exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish physical controls from logical or administrative controls; a common trap is mistaking a firewall or password policy for a physical control. Remember the memory tip: if you can touch it or it blocks a door, it’s physical—think “biometric badge and badge-wearing guard.”
This CC practice question tests your understanding of access controls concepts. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which two of the following are examples of physical access controls? (Select TWO)
Security guards
Security guards monitor and control physical access to premises.
Encryption
Why wrong: Encryption protects data confidentiality but does not control physical access.
Password policies
Why wrong: Password policies are logical controls for user authentication.
Firewall rules
Why wrong: Firewall rules control network traffic, not physical access.
Biometric door locks
Biometric locks control physical entry to buildings or rooms.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Security guards
Security guards are a physical access control because they provide a human barrier to unauthorized entry, monitoring and challenging individuals who attempt to access restricted areas. They enforce physical security policies through observation, verification, and intervention, making them a classic example of a deterrent and preventive physical control.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Security guards
Why this is correct
Security guards monitor and control physical access to premises.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Encryption
Why it's wrong here
Encryption protects data confidentiality but does not control physical access.
Password policies
Why it's wrong here
Password policies are logical controls for user authentication.
Firewall rules
Why it's wrong here
Firewall rules control network traffic, not physical access.
Biometric door locks
Why this is correct
Biometric locks control physical entry to buildings or rooms.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
ISC2 often tests the distinction between physical, administrative, and logical/technical controls, and the trap here is that candidates confuse encryption or firewall rules as 'physical' because they are tangible in implementation, but they are actually logical controls that protect data, not physical assets or premises.
Detailed technical explanation
Physical access controls operate at the perimeter and interior of a facility, often using layered defense (e.g., mantraps, turnstiles, and biometric readers). Biometric door locks, for instance, use unique physiological traits (fingerprint, iris, or vein patterns) to authenticate identity, with false acceptance rates (FAR) and false rejection rates (FRR) critical to their effectiveness. In a real-world scenario, combining security guards with biometric locks provides both detection and enforcement, mitigating tailgating and credential theft.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Access Controls Concepts — This question tests Access Controls Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Security guards — Security guards are a physical access control because they provide a human barrier to unauthorized entry, monitoring and challenging individuals who attempt to access restricted areas. They enforce physical security policies through observation, verification, and intervention, making them a classic example of a deterrent and preventive physical control.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
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. Which TWO of the following are examples of physical access controls?
easyWhy B: Biometric scanners (Option B) are physical access controls because they authenticate individuals based on unique biological traits (e.g., fingerprints, iris patterns) to grant or deny entry to a physical space, such as a server room or data center. This is a tangible, hardware-based mechanism that directly controls physical access, aligning with the definition of physical access controls in the CC exam.
Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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.
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