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 TWO are examples of administrative controls in an information security program?
Background checks
Background checks are administrative, part of personnel security.
Encryption algorithms
Why wrong: Encryption is a technical control.
Security awareness training
Training is an administrative control that influences behavior.
Firewall rules
Why wrong: Firewall is a technical control.
Access control lists (ACLs)
Why wrong: ACLs are technical controls.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Background checks
Administrative controls involve policies, procedures, and people. Security awareness training and background checks are administrative. Firewalls, ACLs, and encryption are technical/physical.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Background checks
Why this is correct
Background checks are administrative, part of personnel security.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Encryption algorithms
Why it's wrong here
Encryption is a technical control.
Security awareness training
Why this is correct
Training is an administrative control that influences behavior.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Firewall rules
Why it's wrong here
Firewall is a technical control.
Access control lists (ACLs)
Why it's wrong here
ACLs are technical controls.
Common exam traps
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related CISSP ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
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FAQ
Security and Risk Management — This question tests Security and Risk Management — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
The correct answer is: Background checks — Administrative controls involve policies, procedures, and people. Security awareness training and background checks are administrative. Firewalls, ACLs, and encryption are technical/physical.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related CISSP ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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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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