ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)Security PrinciplesMedium
A security analyst is tasked with implementing a new access control system. The system must ensure that users are uniquely identified and that their actions can be traced back to them. Which security principle is being directly addressed by these requirements?
- AAuthentication
- BAuthorization
- CAccounting
- DConfidentiality
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Accounting
Accounting (also known as accountability or auditing) is the process of tracking user activities and system events. The requirements for unique identification and traceability of actions directly align with the purpose of accounting, ensuring accountability.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Authentication verifies a user's identity, which is a prerequisite for unique identification but doesn't cover traceability of actions.
- B. Authorization determines what an authenticated user can access, not who they are or what they did.
- D. Confidentiality protects data from unauthorized disclosure, not user traceability.
Accounting (Security)
The process of tracking user activities and system events, often through logs, to ensure accountability. It answers 'who did what, when, where, and how'.
- Often relies on audit trails and logs
- Essential for incident response and forensics
- Establishes accountability for actions
Memory trick: AAA: Authenticate, Authorize, Account for actions.