The answer is to use separate administrative accounts for non-privileged tasks. This is correct because the principle of least privilege dictates that privileged accounts should never be used for routine activities like checking email or browsing the web, as doing so dramatically increases the risk of credential theft and expands the attack surface if a session is compromised. On the CISSP exam, this concept tests your understanding of Privileged Access Management (PAM) and aligns with NIST SP 800-53 AC-6; a common trap is confusing the need for separate accounts with simply using a strong password. Remember the memory tip: “Admin for admin, user for daily” — never mix privileged and non-privileged tasks on the same account.
CISSP Security Operations Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of security operations. 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.
Which of the following is a best practice for managing privileged user accounts?
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 the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use separate administrative accounts for non-privileged tasks.
Option B is correct because the principle of least privilege dictates that administrative accounts should only be used for privileged tasks, not for routine activities like email or web browsing. Using separate, non-privileged accounts for daily work reduces the risk of credential theft and limits the attack surface if a user's session is compromised. This practice is a core component of privileged access management (PAM) and aligns with NIST SP 800-53 AC-6.
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.
✗
All users should be granted admin rights by default.
Why it's wrong here
Violates least privilege principle.
✓
Use separate administrative accounts for non-privileged tasks.
Why this is correct
Ensures admin accounts are only used for privileged actions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Passwords for privileged accounts should never be changed.
Why it's wrong here
Increases risk of credential compromise.
✗
Shared generic accounts should be used to avoid multiple credentials.
Why it's wrong here
Reduces accountability and complicates audit trails.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'using separate accounts' with 'using separate passwords' or think that shared accounts are acceptable for convenience, but the CISSP exam emphasizes individual accountability and the principle of least privilege as non-negotiable security controls.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Windows uses User Account Control (UAC) and RunAs to separate admin and standard tokens, while Linux leverages sudo with timestamp_timeout and the wheel group to enforce privilege elevation. In real-world environments, a PAM solution like CyberArk or HashiCorp Vault can automatically rotate passwords after each use, check out credentials on a just-in-time basis, and record all keystrokes during privileged sessions. This separation also prevents pass-the-hash attacks because the privileged token is never cached during non-privileged operations.
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 Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use separate administrative accounts for non-privileged tasks. — Option B is correct because the principle of least privilege dictates that administrative accounts should only be used for privileged tasks, not for routine activities like email or web browsing. Using separate, non-privileged accounts for daily work reduces the risk of credential theft and limits the attack surface if a user's session is compromised. This practice is a core component of privileged access management (PAM) and aligns with NIST SP 800-53 AC-6.
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.
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Question Discussion
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