- A
Apply the Brewer-Nash (Chinese Wall) model which enforces conflict of interest by preventing access to multiple compartments that conflict.
Why wrong: Brewer-Nash is for dynamic conflict of interest, not static compartment isolation.
- B
Implement Biba's integrity model which prevents write-up, thus complementing Bell-LaPadula.
Why wrong: Biba addresses integrity, not compartment isolation.
- C
Use a lattice-based access control (LBAC) that extends Bell-LaPadula by defining a security lattice that includes compartments and categories, ensuring that a subject's clearance must dominate the object's classification, including compartments.
LBAC naturally handles multiple compartments within a classification level.
- D
Use role-based access control (RBAC) to define compartments.
Why wrong: RBAC is discretionary and does not enforce mandatory access control.
CISSP Security Architecture and Engineering Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of security architecture and engineering. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 government agency requires a new secure document management system that enforces mandatory access control with the properties that users cannot read documents at a higher classification and cannot write documents to a lower classification (to prevent data leaking). The system must also support different categories (compartments) within the same classification level, and a user with access to one compartment should not be able to access another compartment unless explicitly allowed. The architect is considering the Bell-LaPadula model. However, the Bell-LaPadula model's *-property (no write-down) addresses the write issue, but there is also a need to handle compartment isolation. Which additional model or mechanism should be incorporated to ensure compartment isolation?
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
Use a lattice-based access control (LBAC) that extends Bell-LaPadula by defining a security lattice that includes compartments and categories, ensuring that a subject's clearance must dominate the object's classification, including compartments.
Option C is correct because lattice-based access control (LBAC) extends the Bell-LaPadula model by defining a security lattice that includes both hierarchical classifications (e.g., Top Secret, Secret) and non-hierarchical categories (compartments). In this lattice, a subject's clearance must dominate an object's classification across both dimensions, ensuring that a user with access to one compartment cannot access another unless their clearance includes that specific category. This directly enforces the required compartment isolation while maintaining the *-property (no write-down) for data leakage prevention.
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.
- ✗
Apply the Brewer-Nash (Chinese Wall) model which enforces conflict of interest by preventing access to multiple compartments that conflict.
Why it's wrong here
Brewer-Nash is for dynamic conflict of interest, not static compartment isolation.
- ✗
Implement Biba's integrity model which prevents write-up, thus complementing Bell-LaPadula.
Why it's wrong here
Biba addresses integrity, not compartment isolation.
- ✓
Use a lattice-based access control (LBAC) that extends Bell-LaPadula by defining a security lattice that includes compartments and categories, ensuring that a subject's clearance must dominate the object's classification, including compartments.
Why this is correct
LBAC naturally handles multiple compartments within a classification level.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use role-based access control (RBAC) to define compartments.
Why it's wrong here
RBAC is discretionary and does not enforce mandatory access control.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse the Brewer-Nash model's dynamic separation of duties with the static, lattice-based compartment isolation required by MAC, or incorrectly assume that Biba's integrity model can somehow enforce confidentiality-based compartment boundaries.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In a lattice-based access control (LBAC) system, the security lattice is a partially ordered set where each element represents a pair (classification, set of categories). For a subject to access an object, the subject's clearance (e.g., Secret, {CompartmentA}) must dominate the object's classification (e.g., Secret, {CompartmentA, CompartmentB}) meaning the subject's classification level must be at least as high and the subject's category set must be a superset of the object's category set. This ensures that even at the same classification level, a user cleared only for CompartmentA cannot read a document in CompartmentB, providing strict compartment isolation beyond Bell-LaPadula's basic *-property.
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?
Security Architecture and Engineering — This question tests Security Architecture and Engineering — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a lattice-based access control (LBAC) that extends Bell-LaPadula by defining a security lattice that includes compartments and categories, ensuring that a subject's clearance must dominate the object's classification, including compartments. — Option C is correct because lattice-based access control (LBAC) extends the Bell-LaPadula model by defining a security lattice that includes both hierarchical classifications (e.g., Top Secret, Secret) and non-hierarchical categories (compartments). In this lattice, a subject's clearance must dominate an object's classification across both dimensions, ensuring that a user with access to one compartment cannot access another unless their clearance includes that specific category. This directly enforces the required compartment isolation while maintaining the *-property (no write-down) for data leakage prevention.
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: Jun 24, 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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