Question 396 of 1,250
SC-900 Practice Question: Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity
A user reports that they cannot access a sensitive document in SharePoint Online. The administrator checks the document's permissions and sees that the user is not listed directly, but a group they belong to has been granted access. Which identity concept describes this scenario?
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
✓
Group-based access control
Group-based access control allows permissions to be assigned to groups rather than individuals, simplifying management. Option A is wrong because role-based access control is a specific type of group-based access using roles. Option B is wrong because privilege escalation refers to gaining higher permissions, not normal access via groups. Option D is wrong because attribute-based access control uses user attributes, not group membership.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Role-based access control (RBAC)
Why it's wrong here
Role-based access control (RBAC) is a method of restricting network access based on the roles of individual users within an enterprise. In this scenario, access is granted through group membership, not a role-based assignment per se, but RBAC is a subset of group-based access control.
- ✗
Privilege escalation
Why it's wrong here
Privilege escalation is the act of exploiting a bug, design flaw, or configuration oversight in an operating system or software application to gain elevated access to resources that are normally protected from an application or user. This is not described in the scenario.
- ✓
Group-based access control
Why this is correct
Group-based access control allows permissions to be assigned to groups rather than individuals, simplifying management. This directly matches the scenario where a user gains access because they belong to a group that has been granted access.
- ✗
Attribute-based access control (ABAC)
Why it's wrong here
Attribute-based access control (ABAC) is a method of granting access based on attributes of the user, resource, or environment. Since the scenario involves group membership, not attributes, ABAC is incorrect.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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