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.
Which THREE are components of a privileged access management (PAM) solution?
Credential vaulting
Securely storing and rotating privileged credentials.
Password complexity rules
Why wrong: A general security policy, not specific to PAM.
Multi-factor authentication for all users
Why wrong: While important, it is not a unique component of PAM.
Just-in-time privilege elevation
Temporary privilege grants reduce standing access.
Session recording and monitoring
A core PAM feature to audit privileged sessions.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Credential vaulting
Credential vaulting is a core component of PAM because it securely stores privileged account credentials (e.g., root, admin, service accounts) in an encrypted repository, often using hardware security modules (HSMs) or strong encryption like AES-256. It enforces strict access controls, rotation policies, and checkout/check-in workflows to prevent credential exposure and misuse.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Credential vaulting
Why this is correct
Securely storing and rotating privileged credentials.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Password complexity rules
Why it's wrong here
A general security policy, not specific to PAM.
Multi-factor authentication for all users
Why it's wrong here
While important, it is not a unique component of PAM.
Just-in-time privilege elevation
Why this is correct
Temporary privilege grants reduce standing access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Session recording and monitoring
Why this is correct
A core PAM feature to audit privileged sessions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse general security best practices (like password complexity or MFA for all users) with the specific architectural components that define a PAM solution, leading them to select options that are not core PAM elements.
Detailed technical explanation
PAM solutions typically integrate with directory services (e.g., Active Directory) and use protocols like LDAP, Kerberos, or SAML for authentication, while credential vaulting leverages secure key derivation functions (e.g., PBKDF2, Argon2) and hardware-backed encryption. Just-in-time privilege elevation dynamically grants temporary admin rights via tools like sudo or Windows User Account Control (UAC), often tied to a ticketing system (e.g., ServiceNow) for audit trails. Session recording captures keystrokes, screen activity, and command logs using protocols like RDP or SSH, enabling forensic analysis and compliance with regulations like PCI DSS or SOX.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Identity and Access Management — This question tests Identity and Access Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Credential vaulting — Credential vaulting is a core component of PAM because it securely stores privileged account credentials (e.g., root, admin, service accounts) in an encrypted repository, often using hardware security modules (HSMs) or strong encryption like AES-256. It enforces strict access controls, rotation policies, and checkout/check-in workflows to prevent credential exposure and misuse.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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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