- A
Orphaned account
An account without a valid user is an orphaned account.
- B
Insider threat
Why wrong: An orphaned account could be used by an insider, but the term is specific.
- C
Privilege creep
Why wrong: Privilege creep is accumulation of excessive rights over time.
- D
Separation of duties violation
Why wrong: SoD prevents fraud by requiring multiple people; not directly related.
Question 836 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.
An employee leaves the company, and their user account is not disabled. This creates a security risk known as:
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
✓
Orphaned account
An orphaned account is a user account that remains active in the identity management system after the employee has left the organization. This creates a security risk because the account can be exploited by attackers or former employees to gain unauthorized access to systems, data, or network resources, bypassing access controls that rely on account deactivation.
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.
- ✓
Orphaned account
Why this is correct
An account without a valid user is an orphaned account.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Insider threat
Why it's wrong here
An orphaned account could be used by an insider, but the term is specific.
- ✗
Privilege creep
Why it's wrong here
Privilege creep is accumulation of excessive rights over time.
- ✗
Separation of duties violation
Why it's wrong here
SoD prevents fraud by requiring multiple people; not directly related.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse 'orphaned account' with 'insider threat' because both involve a former employee, but the question specifically asks for the name of the security risk created by the account itself, not the general threat category.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Active Directory, an orphaned account retains its SID, group memberships, and any Kerberos tickets that have not yet expired, allowing continued authentication until the account is explicitly disabled or deleted. In cloud IAM systems like AWS IAM, an orphaned user can still assume roles or access resources via access keys if those credentials are not revoked. A real-world scenario is the 2019 Capital One breach, where a former employee's credentials were used to exploit a misconfigured firewall, highlighting the critical need for automated deprovisioning workflows.
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 team runs a vulnerability scan on a web application and discovers an unpatched SQL injection flaw. The team prioritises remediation by CVSS score — critical flaws are patched within 24 hours, high within 7 days. Questions like this test whether you understand vulnerability management processes, scanning tools, and remediation prioritisation.
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: Orphaned account — An orphaned account is a user account that remains active in the identity management system after the employee has left the organization. This creates a security risk because the account can be exploited by attackers or former employees to gain unauthorized access to systems, data, or network resources, bypassing access controls that rely on account deactivation.
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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