- A
Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC)
Why wrong: ABAC could enforce fine-grained policies based on multiple attributes, but it does not inherently prevent account sharing unless combined with strong authentication; it may be overcomplicated for this need.
- B
Mandatory Access Control (MAC) with clearance labels
Why wrong: MAC is typically used in high-security government settings and is too restrictive and complex for a hospital environment; it does not map well to job roles.
- C
Discretionary Access Control (DAC)
Why wrong: DAC allows users to set their own permissions, which is what led to the current issue and does not prevent account sharing.
- D
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) with mandatory account uniqueness
RBAC restricts access based on roles, and requiring unique accounts ensures no sharing; this combination directly addresses the problem.
Quick Answer
The answer is Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) with mandatory account uniqueness. This model directly enforces HIPAA’s need-to-know principle by mapping permissions to job roles—doctors, nurses, lab technicians—rather than to individual users, which eliminates the discretionary sharing that plagued the hospital’s DAC system. Mandatory account uniqueness further strengthens compliance by requiring each user to have a unique identifier, making account sharing technically impossible and auditable. On the Systems Security Practitioner (SSCP) exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how RBAC aligns with regulatory frameworks like HIPAA, often appearing in questions about access control models and their real-world constraints. A common trap is confusing RBAC with DAC or MAC; remember that RBAC is role-centric, not user-centric. Memory tip: “RBAC puts the role in control—unique accounts keep the role honest.”
SSCP Access Controls Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of access controls. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
A hospital is implementing an access control system for its electronic health record (EHR) system. The system must comply with HIPAA regulations, which require that access to patient records is limited to personnel who need it to perform their job duties. The hospital has many roles: doctors, nurses, lab technicians, and administrative staff. Each role can access different types of records. The system currently uses a DAC model where each user sets permissions on their own files. However, a recent risk assessment identified that some nurses have been sharing their accounts with each other to access records outside their unit. The hospital wants to implement a more restrictive model that enforces access based on job roles and prevents sharing of accounts. Which access control model should the hospital adopt?
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
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) with mandatory account uniqueness
Option D is correct because Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) enforces access permissions based on job roles, directly aligning with HIPAA's need-to-know principle. Mandatory account uniqueness prevents account sharing by requiring each user to have a unique identifier, eliminating the ability to share credentials. This combination provides a more restrictive, policy-driven model than DAC, which allowed users to set their own permissions and led to unauthorized access.
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.
- ✗
Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC)
Why it's wrong here
ABAC could enforce fine-grained policies based on multiple attributes, but it does not inherently prevent account sharing unless combined with strong authentication; it may be overcomplicated for this need.
- ✗
Mandatory Access Control (MAC) with clearance labels
Why it's wrong here
MAC is typically used in high-security government settings and is too restrictive and complex for a hospital environment; it does not map well to job roles.
- ✗
Discretionary Access Control (DAC)
Why it's wrong here
DAC allows users to set their own permissions, which is what led to the current issue and does not prevent account sharing.
- ✓
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) with mandatory account uniqueness
Why this is correct
RBAC restricts access based on roles, and requiring unique accounts ensures no sharing; this combination directly addresses the problem.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose ABAC (Option A) because it seems more flexible and modern, but they overlook that RBAC with mandatory account uniqueness directly addresses the account-sharing issue and is the simplest, most compliant model for role-based healthcare access under HIPAA.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
RBAC, as defined in NIST SP 800-53 and standardized in INCITS 359-2004, uses roles as collections of permissions assigned to users based on their job functions. Mandatory account uniqueness is enforced through strict user authentication (e.g., unique usernames, strong passwords, and multi-factor authentication) and audit logs that track individual actions, making shared accounts detectable and non-compliant. In a real-world hospital, RBAC would assign roles like 'Nurse_ICU' with access to specific patient records, and account uniqueness ensures each nurse's actions are logged for HIPAA audits.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SSCP question test?
Access Controls — This question tests Access Controls — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) with mandatory account uniqueness — Option D is correct because Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) enforces access permissions based on job roles, directly aligning with HIPAA's need-to-know principle. Mandatory account uniqueness prevents account sharing by requiring each user to have a unique identifier, eliminating the ability to share credentials. This combination provides a more restrictive, policy-driven model than DAC, which allowed users to set their own permissions and led to unauthorized access.
What should I do if I get this SSCP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on SSCP
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A healthcare organization is implementing an access control system to ensure that employees can only access patient records necessary for their job functions. Which model best enforces this principle?
medium- ✓ A.Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
- B.Rule-Based Access Control (RuBAC)
- C.Discretionary Access Control (DAC)
- D.Mandatory Access Control (MAC)
Why A: Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) is the correct model because it assigns permissions based on job roles, ensuring employees only access patient records necessary for their duties. In healthcare, RBAC aligns with the principle of least privilege by mapping roles (e.g., nurse, doctor, billing) to specific data access, as defined in standards like NIST SP 800-53. This directly enforces the requirement that access is tied to job functions, not individual discretion or system-wide rules.
Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This SSCP 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 SSCP exam.
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