- A
Password complexity
Why wrong: Password complexity strengthens authentication but does not prevent fraud specifically.
- B
Single sign-on
Why wrong: SSO simplifies access but does not prevent fraud.
- C
Least privilege
Why wrong: Least privilege limits access but does not require multiple people.
- D
Two-person control
Two-person control requires two people to complete a sensitive action.
- E
Separation of duties
SoD prevents any single person from having excessive control.
Question 116 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 security analyst is reviewing access controls for a financial application. Which TWO of the following are considered best practices for preventing fraud? (Select TWO.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
✓
Two-person control
Two-person control (D) is a best practice for preventing fraud because it requires two authorized individuals to perform a critical action, such as approving a high-value transaction or accessing a sensitive system. This ensures collusion is needed to commit fraud, as no single person can complete the action alone. In a financial application, this might involve dual approval for wire transfers over a threshold, directly mitigating insider threats.
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.
- ✗
Password complexity
Why it's wrong here
Password complexity strengthens authentication but does not prevent fraud specifically.
- ✗
Single sign-on
Why it's wrong here
SSO simplifies access but does not prevent fraud.
- ✗
Least privilege
Why it's wrong here
Least privilege limits access but does not require multiple people.
- ✓
Two-person control
Why this is correct
Two-person control requires two people to complete a sensitive action.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Separation of duties
Why this is correct
SoD prevents any single person from having excessive control.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'least privilege' (a preventive control for limiting access) with 'separation of duties' (a detective/preventive control for fraud), or they incorrectly think 'password complexity' or 'single sign-on' directly prevent fraud when they only address authentication security.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Two-person control is often implemented using a 'maker-checker' model, where one user creates a transaction (maker) and a second user approves it (checker). Separation of duties (E) enforces that no single individual has conflicting responsibilities, such as both initiating and approving a payment, which is critical in financial systems to prevent embezzlement. Under the hood, these controls are enforced by access control lists (ACLs) and workflow engines that check user roles and require multi-party authorization before committing state changes to the database.
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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Identity and Access Management — study guide chapter
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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: Two-person control — Two-person control (D) is a best practice for preventing fraud because it requires two authorized individuals to perform a critical action, such as approving a high-value transaction or accessing a sensitive system. This ensures collusion is needed to commit fraud, as no single person can complete the action alone. In a financial application, this might involve dual approval for wire transfers over a threshold, directly mitigating insider threats.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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