SSCP Access Controls Practice Question
Which access control model allows the owner of a resource to determine who can access it and what permissions they have?
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
✓
Discretionary Access Control (DAC)
Discretionary Access Control (DAC) gives resource owners discretion to grant or deny access to others.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Mandatory Access Control (MAC)
Why it's wrong here
MAC uses system-wide policies, not owner discretion.
- ✓
Discretionary Access Control (DAC)
Why this is correct
DAC allows owners to set permissions.
- ✗
Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC)
Why it's wrong here
ABAC uses policies based on attributes, not owner discretion.
- ✗
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
Why it's wrong here
RBAC assigns permissions to roles, not to individual owner discretion.
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 |
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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.