CISSP Security Architecture and Engineering Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of security architecture and engineering. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 architect is designing a system that must enforce the principle of least privilege at the operating system level. Which mechanism should be implemented to grant processes only the minimal permissions required for their tasks?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Mandatory Access Control (MAC) using SELinux policies
SELinux implements Mandatory Access Control (MAC) by enforcing a system-wide security policy that overrides user and process permissions. This allows the security architect to define precise rules (e.g., via Type Enforcement) that grant each process only the minimal set of resources it needs, effectively enforcing least privilege at the OS level regardless of user identity.
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.
✓
Mandatory Access Control (MAC) using SELinux policies
Why this is correct
Correct. SELinux allows granular control over process permissions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) with fine-grained roles
Why it's wrong here
RBAC is more user-oriented and may not confine processes as tightly.
✗
Discretionary Access Control (DAC) with user permissions
Why it's wrong here
DAC allows users to grant permissions, which may violate least privilege.
✗
Mandatory Integrity Control (Biba)
Why it's wrong here
Biba focuses on integrity, not least privilege.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse RBAC with process-level least privilege, but RBAC is user-centric and does not constrain process permissions at the OS kernel level like MAC does.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SELinux uses a security context (user:role:type) attached to every process and object, and the kernel enforces access decisions based on a policy written in a custom language (e.g., allow httpd_t httpd_log_t:file write;). A common subtlety is that SELinux can operate in permissive mode for policy development, but in enforcing mode it will deny any operation not explicitly allowed, which is critical for containing exploits like buffer overflows in daemons.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CISSP question in full detail.
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: Mandatory Access Control (MAC) using SELinux policies — SELinux implements Mandatory Access Control (MAC) by enforcing a system-wide security policy that overrides user and process permissions. This allows the security architect to define precise rules (e.g., via Type Enforcement) that grant each process only the minimal set of resources it needs, effectively enforcing least privilege at the OS level regardless of user identity.
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: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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