- A
Client credential management
Why wrong: Client credential management is not a primary feature of OIDC.
- B
Authorization delegation
Why wrong: Authorization delegation is already provided by OAuth 2.0.
- C
Token introspection
Why wrong: Token introspection is a separate OAuth 2.0 extension.
- D
User authentication
OIDC standardizes authentication, while OAuth 2.0 only provides authorization.
Question 232 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.
OpenID Connect (OIDC) extends OAuth 2.0 primarily by adding which capability?
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
✓
User authentication
OpenID Connect (OIDC) is an identity layer built on top of OAuth 2.0 that primarily adds user authentication. While OAuth 2.0 provides authorization delegation (access tokens for resources), OIDC introduces an ID token (a JSON Web Token, JWT) that contains claims about the authenticated user, enabling the client to verify the user's identity. This is defined in the OIDC specification (OpenID Foundation) and is the key differentiator from plain OAuth 2.0.
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.
- ✗
Client credential management
Why it's wrong here
Client credential management is not a primary feature of OIDC.
- ✗
Authorization delegation
Why it's wrong here
Authorization delegation is already provided by OAuth 2.0.
- ✗
Token introspection
Why it's wrong here
Token introspection is a separate OAuth 2.0 extension.
- ✓
User authentication
Why this is correct
OIDC standardizes authentication, while OAuth 2.0 only provides authorization.
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 OAuth 2.0's authorization delegation (access tokens for resources) with OIDC's authentication (ID tokens for user identity), leading them to incorrectly select 'Authorization delegation' as the primary addition.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, OIDC extends OAuth 2.0 by requiring the authorization server to return an ID token (a signed JWT) alongside the access token during the authorization flow. This ID token contains standard claims like 'sub' (subject identifier), 'iss' (issuer), and 'aud' (audience), which the client can cryptographically verify to authenticate the user without a separate API call. In real-world scenarios, this is critical for single sign-on (SSO) implementations, where the ID token allows a relying party to trust the user's identity without needing to call an identity provider for every request.
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 developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
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: User authentication — OpenID Connect (OIDC) is an identity layer built on top of OAuth 2.0 that primarily adds user authentication. While OAuth 2.0 provides authorization delegation (access tokens for resources), OIDC introduces an ID token (a JSON Web Token, JWT) that contains claims about the authenticated user, enabling the client to verify the user's identity. This is defined in the OIDC specification (OpenID Foundation) and is the key differentiator from plain OAuth 2.0.
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.
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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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