The correct answer is that the user has been issued a Ticket-Granting Ticket and a service ticket. This is because a Kerberos ticket cache containing two service principals reflects the standard authentication workflow: the first principal, krbtgt, identifies the Ticket-Granting Ticket (TGT) obtained after initial password verification, while the second principal represents the specific service ticket requested for a target application. On the CISSP exam, this concept tests your understanding of Kerberos’s dual-ticket architecture and the distinction between the TGT and service tickets, often appearing in questions about authentication protocols or access control. A common trap is confusing the TGT with a service ticket, but remember that the TGT is always tied to the krbtgt principal and is used to request further tickets without re-entering credentials. For a memory tip, think “TGT first, service second” — the TGT is the master key, and the service ticket is the specific door key.
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The user has been issued a Ticket-Granting Ticket and a service ticket
In Kerberos, a Ticket-Granting Ticket (TGT) is issued after initial authentication and is used to request service tickets for specific services. The presence of two service principals in a user's Kerberos ticket cache indicates that the user has both a TGT (identified by the krbtgt service principal) and a service ticket (identified by the target service's principal). This is the normal and expected state after a user has authenticated and then requested access to a service.
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.
✗
The KDC is misconfigured
Why it's wrong here
This is normal behavior.
✗
The user has authenticated to two different services
Why it's wrong here
Only one service ticket (HTTP) is present; the other is a TGT.
✗
The user's credentials have been compromised
Why it's wrong here
Multiple tickets are normal.
✓
The user has been issued a Ticket-Granting Ticket and a service ticket
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 the presence of two service principals with authentication to two services, failing to recognize that one of those principals is always the Ticket-Granting Ticket (krbtgt), not a service ticket for an actual application service.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Kerberos ticket cache on a client (e.g., Windows LSASS or Linux /tmp/krb5cc_*) stores both the TGT (with principal krbtgt/REALM) and service tickets (e.g., HTTP/server.example.com). When a user runs kinit, they receive a TGT; subsequent access to a service triggers a TGS-REQ that returns a service ticket, which is cached alongside the TGT. This dual-ticket state is fundamental to Kerberos delegation and constrained delegation scenarios, where a service can impersonate the user to another service using the forwarded TGT.
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.
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: The user has been issued a Ticket-Granting Ticket and a service ticket — In Kerberos, a Ticket-Granting Ticket (TGT) is issued after initial authentication and is used to request service tickets for specific services. The presence of two service principals in a user's Kerberos ticket cache indicates that the user has both a TGT (identified by the krbtgt service principal) and a service ticket (identified by the target service's principal). This is the normal and expected state after a user has authenticated and then requested access to a service.
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
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.