- A
To lower office cleaning costs
Why wrong: Cost reduction is not the primary security purpose.
- B
To comply with fire safety regulations
Why wrong: Fire safety regulations may require clear egress paths, but clean desk is primarily about information security.
- C
To reduce the risk of data breaches
Clean desk policies prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information left on desks.
- D
To improve employee productivity
Why wrong: Productivity is a secondary benefit, but the primary purpose is security.
Question 826 of 1,000
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.
Which of the following is the PRIMARY purpose of implementing a clean desk policy?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"primary"Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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
✓
To reduce the risk of data breaches
A clean desk policy is a physical security control designed to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information by ensuring that documents, devices, and media are securely stored when not in use. By reducing the visibility of confidential data, it directly mitigates the risk of data breaches from shoulder surfing, theft, or accidental exposure. This aligns with the principle of least exposure and supports compliance with data protection frameworks like GDPR or HIPAA.
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.
- ✗
To lower office cleaning costs
Why it's wrong here
Cost reduction is not the primary security purpose.
- ✗
To comply with fire safety regulations
Why it's wrong here
Fire safety regulations may require clear egress paths, but clean desk is primarily about information security.
- ✓
To reduce the risk of data breaches
Why this is correct
Clean desk policies prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information left on desks.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
To improve employee productivity
Why it's wrong here
Productivity is a secondary benefit, but the primary purpose is security.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse a clean desk policy with general workplace organization or fire safety, overlooking its core role as a physical security control to protect confidential data from unauthorized access.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, a clean desk policy enforces the principle of 'clear screen/clear desk' as part of an organization's security awareness program, often tied to ISO 27001 control A.11.2.9. In practice, it requires users to lock workstations (e.g., Win+L on Windows) and store removable media in locked drawers, preventing data exfiltration via physical means. A real-world scenario is a healthcare facility where patient records left on a desk could violate HIPAA's Privacy Rule, leading to fines and breach notifications.
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.
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Security Operations and Administration — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SSCP question test?
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: To reduce the risk of data breaches — A clean desk policy is a physical security control designed to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information by ensuring that documents, devices, and media are securely stored when not in use. By reducing the visibility of confidential data, it directly mitigates the risk of data breaches from shoulder surfing, theft, or accidental exposure. This aligns with the principle of least exposure and supports compliance with data protection frameworks like GDPR or HIPAA.
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: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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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