The answer is to remove access when no longer required. This is correct because the principles of least privilege dictate that users should only be granted the minimum permissions necessary to perform their job functions, and once that function ends, the associated access must be revoked to minimize the attack surface and limit potential damage from accidental or malicious actions. On the Systems Security Certified Practitioner SSCP exam, this concept tests your understanding of foundational access control enforcement through role-based access control (RBAC) or attribute-based access control (ABAC) policies. A common trap is confusing “need-to-know” (data confidentiality) with least privilege (permissions), or assuming temporary access can remain indefinitely. Remember the memory tip: “When the job is done, the key is gone.”
SSCP Security Operations and Administration Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of security operations and administration. 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 administrator is tasked with managing user access. Which THREE of the following are principles of least privilege? (Choose three.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Grant users the minimum rights needed to perform their job.
Option C is correct because the principle of least privilege dictates that users should be granted only the minimum permissions necessary to perform their job functions. This minimizes the attack surface and limits potential damage from accidental or malicious actions. It is a foundational access control concept enforced through role-based access control (RBAC) or attribute-based access control (ABAC) policies.
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.
✗
Implement mandatory access control.
Why it's wrong here
MAC is a model, not a principle of least privilege.
✗
Require manager approval for privilege escalation.
Why it's wrong here
Approval is a complementary control, not a principle.
✓
Grant users the minimum rights needed to perform their job.
Why this is correct
This is the core of least privilege.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Use separate accounts for administrative tasks.
Why this is correct
Separate admin accounts reduce risk of privilege misuse.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Remove access when no longer required.
Why this is correct
Continuous review and removal of unnecessary access is key.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
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 confuse security principles (like least privilege) with security mechanisms (like MAC) or administrative processes (like approval workflows), leading them to select options that are related but not direct statements of the principle itself.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, least privilege is often implemented using RBAC with fine-grained permissions, where each role is assigned only the specific rights needed for its tasks, and users are assigned to roles. In Windows, this is enforced via User Account Control (UAC) and standard user tokens; in Linux, via discretionary access control (DAC) with umask settings and sudo policies. A real-world scenario is a database administrator who has read-only access to production data but full access to a staging environment, preventing accidental data corruption.
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.
Security Operations and Administration — This question tests Security Operations and Administration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Grant users the minimum rights needed to perform their job. — Option C is correct because the principle of least privilege dictates that users should be granted only the minimum permissions necessary to perform their job functions. This minimizes the attack surface and limits potential damage from accidental or malicious actions. It is a foundational access control concept enforced through role-based access control (RBAC) or attribute-based access control (ABAC) policies.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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 →
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 security analyst is reviewing the access control policy and notices that some users have been granted 'write' access to a directory that contains sensitive financial reports. Which principle of information security is being violated?
easy
A.Non-repudiation
✓ B.Least privilege
C.Availability
D.Confidentiality
Why B: The principle of least privilege dictates that users should be granted only the minimum permissions necessary to perform their job functions. Granting 'write' access to a directory containing sensitive financial reports to users who do not require that level of access violates this principle, as it introduces unnecessary risk of unauthorized modification or data leakage.
Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
Question Discussion
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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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