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SSCP Practice Question: Which TWO of the following are characteristics of…
Which TWO of the following are characteristics of a Mandatory Access Control (MAC) system?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse MAC with DAC or RBAC, mistakenly thinking that owners or roles can override label-based policies, when in fact MAC strictly enforces system-wide rules that neither users nor owners can modify.
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
✓
Access decisions are based on security labels.
Option A is correct because a MAC system bases every access decision on security labels (sensitivity levels and categories) assigned to subjects and objects, rather than on user discretion; the system compares these labels against a policy to grant or deny access. Option E is correct because MAC is historically and commonly implemented in military and government environments, where strict confidentiality and need-to-know enforcement (e.g., via labels like Top Secret, Secret, Confidential) is required. Option B is incorrect because basing access on the object's owner describes Discretionary Access Control (DAC), where the owner decides who gets access. Option C is incorrect because using roles to assign permissions describes Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), not MAC. Option D is incorrect because allowing users to change permissions on their own objects is a hallmark of DAC, whereas in MAC users cannot alter the labels or permissions that govern access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Access decisions are based on security labels.
Why this is correct
MAC decisions derive from security labels assigned to subjects and objects, not owner discretion. The label comparison, typically enforcing Bell-LaPadula or Biba rules, is what makes access mandatory: users cannot alter or override classifications, satisfying the stem's requirement for label-driven control.
- ✗
Access is determined by the owner of the object.
Why it's wrong here
Owner-determined access is the defining trait of Discretionary Access Control, where the object's owner sets permissions at their discretion. MAC instead enforces system-assigned labels and clearances that owners cannot override, so this describes DAC rather than MAC.
- ✗
It uses roles to assign permissions.
Why it's wrong here
MAC grants access through sensitivity labels compared against subject clearances, not through roles. Role-based assignment is the defining mechanism of RBAC, which would be the correct answer when a scenario describes permissions bundled into job-function roles rather than label comparisons.
- ✗
Users can change permissions on their own objects.
Why it's wrong here
Under MAC, labels and clearances assigned by the system govern access; users cannot alter permissions on objects they own, since ownership confers no discretionary control. Discretionary Access Control, by contrast, lets owners set permissions on their own objects, which is where this characteristic belongs.
- ✓
It is commonly used in military environments.
Why this is correct
MAC's label-based, centrally enforced model maps directly onto military classification hierarchies such as Confidential, Secret and Top Secret, where clearance levels and need-to-know govern access. This origin in defence systems is why military environments are its classic deployment, matching the stem's characteristic.
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.