CISSP Identity and Access Management Practice Question
Which access control model allows the owner of a resource to determine who can access it and what permissions they have?
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
✓
Discretionary Access Control (DAC)
Discretionary Access Control (DAC) allows the resource owner to control access at their discretion.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Discretionary Access Control (DAC)
Why this is correct
DAC binds permissions to resource owners, who grant or revoke access at their discretion. This directly satisfies the stem's requirement that the owner determines both who may access the resource and which permissions they hold, unlike mandatory or role-based models where policy is centrally imposed.
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Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
Why it's wrong here
RBAC assigns permissions to roles rather than letting the resource owner decide, so authority rests with role administrators, not owners. RBAC is correct where job functions map cleanly to fixed permission sets, such as large enterprises with stable, well-defined organisational roles.
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Mandatory Access Control (MAC)
Why it's wrong here
MAC enforces access through system-assigned labels and clearances, removing owner discretion entirely, so it cannot satisfy owner-determined permissions. MAC is the right model for high-assurance environments, such as military or government systems, where central policy must override individual owners.
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Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC)
Why it's wrong here
ABAC grants access from policies evaluating attributes of subject, resource and environment, not from the resource owner's discretion, so ownership does not drive permissions. ABAC is correct for fine-grained, context-aware policy at scale, such as dynamic least-privilege across many resources.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Key term
Access control
Access control is the security practice of determining who or what is allowed to view, use, or enter a resource, and under what conditions.
Key term
DAC
Discretionary Access Control is a security model where the owner of a resource decides who can access it and what permissions they have.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.