The correct choices are Access Control (AC), Identification and Authentication (IA), and System and Communications Protection (SC), as these are three of the twenty control families defined in NIST SP 800-53. Each family groups security controls by function: AC governs permissions and access restrictions, IA ensures users and devices are verified before access, and SC protects the confidentiality and integrity of data in transit and at rest. On the CISSP exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish actual control families from common security concepts that are not families—for example, Business Continuity is a domain but falls under Contingency Planning (CP), and Data Encryption is a mechanism covered within SC. A frequent trap is confusing a control objective with its parent family; remember that families are broad categories like “Access Control,” not specific techniques like “encryption.” To lock in the families, use the mnemonic “AIS” for Access, Identification, and System—three pillars of NIST SP 800-53 that frequently appear together on the exam.
CISSP Security and Risk Management Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of security and risk 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 of the following are control families defined in NIST SP 800-53? (Choose three.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Access Control (AC)
Options A, C, and E are correct: Access Control (AC), Identification and Authentication (IA), and System and Communications Protection (SC) are NIST SP 800-53 families. Option B (Business Continuity) is not a family; continuity is under Contingency Planning (CP). Option D (Data Encryption) is not a family; encryption is covered under SC.
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.
✓
Access Control (AC)
Why this is correct
Access Control is a NIST control family.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
System and Communications Protection (SC)
Why this is correct
SC is a NIST control family.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Data Encryption (DE)
Why it's wrong here
Data Encryption is not a family; encryption controls are in System and Communications Protection (SC).
✗
Business Continuity (BC)
Why it's wrong here
Business Continuity is not a family; related controls are under Contingency Planning (CP).
✓
Identification and Authentication (IA)
Why this is correct
IA is a NIST control family.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CISSP question in full detail.
Identify which CISSP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Security and Risk Management — This question tests Security and Risk Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Access Control (AC) — Options A, C, and E are correct: Access Control (AC), Identification and Authentication (IA), and System and Communications Protection (SC) are NIST SP 800-53 families. Option B (Business Continuity) is not a family; continuity is under Contingency Planning (CP). Option D (Data Encryption) is not a family; encryption is covered under SC.
What should I do if I get this CISSP question wrong?
Identify which CISSP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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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