- A
Least privilege
Why wrong: Least privilege means minimal access, not splitting tasks.
- B
Separation of duties
Requiring two people to authorize a transfer is SoD.
- C
Need-to-know
Why wrong: Need-to-know restricts data access based on necessity.
- D
Zero standing privileges
Why wrong: Zero standing privileges means no permanent privileged access.
Question 806 of 1,000
CISSP Identity and Access Management Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of identity and access management. 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.
A financial application requires two employees to authorize a wire transfer. Which principle does this implement?
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 (SoD) is the principle that requires two or more individuals to complete a sensitive transaction, such as a wire transfer, to prevent fraud or error. By mandating two employees to authorize the transfer, the application ensures no single person has unchecked control over the entire process, enforcing a dual-control mechanism. This directly implements the SoD principle, which is a core access control concept in identity and access management.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Least privilege
Why it's wrong here
Least privilege means minimal access, not splitting tasks.
- ✓
Separation of duties
Why this is correct
Requiring two people to authorize a transfer is SoD.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Need-to-know
Why it's wrong here
Need-to-know restricts data access based on necessity.
- ✗
Zero standing privileges
Why it's wrong here
Zero standing privileges means no permanent privileged access.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse separation of duties with least privilege, thinking that limiting permissions alone achieves the same goal, but least privilege does not prevent a single user from performing all steps of a critical process.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In practice, separation of duties for wire transfers often uses a 'maker-checker' model, where one employee creates the transaction (maker) and another approves it (checker), with the system enforcing that the same user cannot perform both roles. Under the hood, this is implemented via access control lists (ACLs) or role-based access control (RBAC) that segregate 'create' and 'approve' permissions into distinct roles, often with audit logs capturing the unique user IDs involved. A real-world scenario is in banking systems like SWIFT, where dual control is mandatory for high-value transfers to comply with regulations like the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISSP question test?
Identity and Access Management — This question tests Identity and Access Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Separation of duties — Separation of duties (SoD) is the principle that requires two or more individuals to complete a sensitive transaction, such as a wire transfer, to prevent fraud or error. By mandating two employees to authorize the transfer, the application ensures no single person has unchecked control over the entire process, enforcing a dual-control mechanism. This directly implements the SoD principle, which is a core access control concept in identity and access management.
What should I do if I get this CISSP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This CISSP 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 CISSP exam.
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