SSCP Security Operations and Administration Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of security operations and administration. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 TWO of the following are valid reasons for implementing a separation of duties policy? (Choose two.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
To detect errors through independent verification.
Separation of duties (SoD) is a security control that divides critical tasks among multiple individuals to prevent any single person from having excessive control. Option B is correct because independent verification is a core benefit: when one person performs a task and another reviews it, errors are more likely to be caught before they cause damage. This is especially important in financial transactions or system configuration changes where a single mistake could have significant consequences.
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 reduce the workload on individual employees.
Why it's wrong here
Separation of duties often increases workload due to additional checks.
✓
To detect errors through independent verification.
Why this is correct
Having different people perform related tasks allows for error detection.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
To simplify training requirements.
Why it's wrong here
Separation of duties may complicate training as more people need to be trained.
✗
To comply with regulatory requirements.
Why it's wrong here
While compliance may drive it, the core reasons are fraud prevention and error detection.
✓
To prevent fraud by requiring collusion.
Why this is correct
Separation of duties makes fraud more difficult as it requires multiple people to collude.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the distinction between compliance as a requirement versus a fundamental security reason; candidates mistakenly choose 'compliance' as a core reason when the question asks for the underlying security benefit.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, SoD enforces the principle of least privilege by splitting privileges across roles—for example, in a database system, one user may have INSERT privileges while another has SELECT and DELETE, preventing a single user from both creating and deleting records without oversight. In real-world scenarios, such as change management in ITIL, SoD ensures that a developer cannot push code to production without a separate approver reviewing the change, reducing the risk of malicious or erroneous code deployment.
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: To detect errors through independent verification. — Separation of duties (SoD) is a security control that divides critical tasks among multiple individuals to prevent any single person from having excessive control. Option B is correct because independent verification is a core benefit: when one person performs a task and another reviews it, errors are more likely to be caught before they cause damage. This is especially important in financial transactions or system configuration changes where a single mistake could have significant consequences.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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