Quick Answer
The answer is accounting, as the requirement to log all access to sensitive data directly supports the accounting (auditing) function of access controls. Accounting tracks user activities and resource usage, creating an audit trail that enables compliance reviews, incident detection, and policy enforcement—this is the technical concept behind logging access events. On the Systems Security Certified Practitioner SSCP exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish accounting from authentication (verifying identity) and authorization (granting permissions), which do not inherently produce logs. A common trap is confusing authorization with accounting, but remember: authorization decides what you can do, while accounting records what you actually did. A useful memory tip is to think of accounting as the “paper trail” function—if a policy demands logs, it is always accounting at work.
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 security policy requires that all access to sensitive data be logged. Which access control function does this support?
Authentication
Why wrong: Authentication is about verifying identity, not logging.
Authorization
Why wrong: Authorization defines what a user can do, but logging is part of accounting.
Accounting
Accounting tracks and logs user actions for auditing.
Provisioning
Why wrong: Provisioning manages account creation and deletion, not logging.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Accounting
The requirement to log all access to sensitive data directly supports the Accounting (auditing) function of access controls. Accounting tracks user activities and resource usage, providing an audit trail that can be reviewed for compliance, security incidents, and policy enforcement. This is distinct from Authentication (verifying identity) and Authorization (granting permissions), which do not inherently produce logs of access events.
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.
Authentication
Why it's wrong here
Authentication is about verifying identity, not logging.
Authorization
Why it's wrong here
Authorization defines what a user can do, but logging is part of accounting.
Accounting
Why this is correct
Accounting tracks and logs user actions for auditing.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Provisioning
Why it's wrong here
Provisioning manages account creation and deletion, not logging.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse Authorization (which controls access) with Accounting (which records access), mistakenly thinking that setting permissions automatically logs access, when in fact logging requires a separate audit configuration.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, Accounting is often implemented via system audit logs (e.g., Windows Security Event Log, Linux auditd, or syslog) that capture events such as file opens, privilege escalations, or failed access attempts. In a real-world scenario, a SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) system aggregates these logs to detect anomalies, and compliance frameworks like PCI DSS or HIPAA mandate such logging for sensitive data. The AAA framework (Authentication, Authorization, Accounting) explicitly separates these functions, with Accounting providing the non-repudiation and forensic trail.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
What to study next
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FAQ
Access Controls — This question tests Access Controls — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Accounting — The requirement to log all access to sensitive data directly supports the Accounting (auditing) function of access controls. Accounting tracks user activities and resource usage, providing an audit trail that can be reviewed for compliance, security incidents, and policy enforcement. This is distinct from Authentication (verifying identity) and Authorization (granting permissions), which do not inherently produce logs of access events.
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 11, 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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