hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
SSCP Practice Question: Implements an attribute-based access control…
An organization implements an attribute-based access control (ABAC) system with the following policy: if user.role == 'doctor' and resource.type == 'patient_record' and environment.time between 08:00-18:00 then permit. A doctor tries to access a patient record at 20:00. What is the result?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the default deny principle in ABAC, where candidates mistakenly assume a missing explicit 'deny' rule means 'permit' or 'not applicable', but the absence of a matching permit condition results in an implicit deny.
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
✓
Deny
The ABAC policy requires the environment.time to be between 08:00 and 18:00 for access to be permitted. Since the doctor attempts access at 20:00, which falls outside this time window, the condition is not met, and the policy evaluates to 'deny' by default in a closed-system ABAC model. The correct result is Deny (option D).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Permit
Why it's wrong here
The policy requires time between 08:00-18:00; 20:00 is outside this range, so access is not permitted.
- ✗
Indeterminate
Why it's wrong here
Indeterminate results occur when there is missing or conflicting attribute data; here all attributes are present and consistent.
- ✗
Not applicable
Why it's wrong here
The policy is applicable because the user role and resource type match; it is evaluated and results in deny.
- ✓
Deny
Why this is correct
Since the time condition is not satisfied, the policy does not grant access, and the default deny rule applies.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every SSCP question from scratch — 920 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.