SSCP Access Controls Practice Question
An organization is implementing a federated identity system to allow employees to access a partner's cloud application using their corporate credentials. The solution must support single sign-on and use XML-based assertions. Which technology should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is confusing authentication with authorization: OAuth 2.0 is often mistakenly chosen for SSO, but it is an authorization framework, while SAML is the XML-based authentication standard for federated SSO.
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
✓
SAML
SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) is an XML-based standard for exchanging authentication and authorization data between an identity provider and a service provider, enabling single sign-on. It is specifically designed for federated identity scenarios where users authenticate with their corporate credentials to access partner cloud applications. The requirement for XML-based assertions directly points to SAML.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Kerberos
Why it's wrong here
Kerberos issues tickets within a realm using symmetric key exchange; it produces no XML assertions and does not federate across organisational boundaries. It is tempting as an SSO mechanism, and would be correct for authenticating users inside a single Windows domain rather than a partner-trusted SAML federation.
- ✓
SAML
Why this is correct
SAML exchanges XML-based assertions between identity and service providers, enabling browser-based single sign-on across security domains. It directly satisfies the stem's requirement for federated authentication using corporate credentials at a partner's cloud application, with the identity provider issuing signed assertions the partner's application validates and trusts.
- ✗
OAuth 2.0
Why it's wrong here
OAuth 2.0 issues JSON access tokens for delegated API authorisation, not XML assertions, so it cannot satisfy the SAML assertion requirement. It is tempting because OAuth 2.0 does underpin federated SSO for cloud applications, and would be correct where token-based API authorisation without XML assertions is needed.
- ✗
OpenID Connect
Why it's wrong here
OpenID Connect returns a JSON Web Token ID token over REST, not an XML assertion, so it fails the XML requirement. It is tempting because OpenID Connect genuinely delivers federated single sign-on to cloud applications, and would be correct where JSON-based identity tokens are acceptable.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISC2 exam blueprint
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.