SSCP Access Controls Practice Question
An organization uses an ABAC system to control access to documents. Policies are defined using attributes such as user department, document classification, and time of day. Which of the following is an example of an ABAC policy rule?
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
✓
If user.department == 'HR' AND doc.classification == 'Confidential' AND time.business_hours == true then permit read.
ABAC policies use conditions based on subject, object, and environment attributes. The rule combines department, classification, and time.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The owner of a document can grant read access to any other user.
Why it's wrong here
This is discretionary access control.
- ✗
Users in the 'HR' role can read documents classified as 'Confidential'.
Why it's wrong here
This is a role-based rule, not attribute-based.
- ✗
All users with security clearance 'Secret' can read documents labeled 'Secret'.
Why it's wrong here
This is mandatory access control based on labels.
- ✓
If user.department == 'HR' AND doc.classification == 'Confidential' AND time.business_hours == true then permit read.
Why this is correct
This uses subject attribute (department), object attribute (classification), and environment attribute (time).
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.