SSCP Systems and Application Security Practice Question
Which Windows feature provides mandatory integrity controls and helps prevent unauthorized changes to system settings by requiring administrator approval?
⚠ Common exam trap
SSCP often tests the confusion between UAC (elevation/integrity prompts) and WDAC or Group Policy (application control and centralized configuration) — candidates must match 'administrator approval for system changes' specifically to UAC.
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
✓
User Account Control (UAC)
User Account Control (UAC) is the Windows feature that enforces mandatory integrity controls and prompts for administrator approval before allowing changes that require elevated privileges. It ensures that even administrator accounts run with standard-user rights by default and must explicitly consent to elevation, preventing unauthorized system changes.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Windows Defender Application Control
Why it's wrong here
Windows Defender Application Control enforces code integrity by allowing only trusted binaries to run, so it governs executable and driver loading rather than gating interactive changes to system settings. It is tempting because it is a genuine integrity mechanism, and it would be correct where the requirement is to block untrusted or unsigned code from executing.
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Security Audit Policy
Why it's wrong here
Security Audit Policy logs events such as logon attempts and privilege use; it records activity but enforces nothing, so it cannot block unauthorised setting changes. It is tempting because auditing is a core security control, and it would be the right choice when the requirement is to track and evidence administrative actions rather than prevent them.
- ✓
User Account Control (UAC)
Why this is correct
User Account Control enforces mandatory integrity levels, prompting for administrator approval before privileged actions elevate a process. This prevents unauthorised changes to system settings by standard users, satisfying the requirement for mandatory integrity controls with administrator approval.
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Group Policy
Why it's wrong here
Group Policy configures settings across users and computers but does not enforce mandatory integrity levels or gate elevation; User Account Control does. It is tempting because Group Policy can restrict administrative behaviour centrally, and would be correct when enforcing consistent configuration across a domain.
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Courseiva writes every SSCP question from scratch — 971 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISC2 exam blueprint
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.