nerdexam
Cisco

200-201 · Question #520

What is the key difference between mandatory access control (MAC) and discretionary access control (DAC)?

The correct answer is C. MAC is controlled by the OS, and DAC is controlled by the owner of the access list. Mandatory Access Control (MAC) is a strict access control model where the operating system (OS) or security policy enforces access controls based on security labels (e.g., classifications like "Top Secret" or "Confidential"). Users cannot modify access permissions…

Submitted by tom_us· Mar 6, 2026Security Concepts

Question

What is the key difference between mandatory access control (MAC) and discretionary access control (DAC)?

Options

  • ADAC is controlled by the OS, and MAC is controlled by the owner of the access list.
  • BDAC is the most strict access control, and MAC is object-based access.
  • CMAC is controlled by the OS, and DAC is controlled by the owner of the access list.
  • DMAC is the most strict access control, and DAC is object-based access.

How the community answered

(38 responses)
  • A
    5% (2)
  • C
    92% (35)
  • D
    3% (1)

Explanation

Mandatory Access Control (MAC) is a strict access control model where the operating system (OS) or security policy enforces access controls based on security labels (e.g., classifications like "Top Secret" or "Confidential"). Users cannot modify access permissions. Discretionary Access Control (DAC) allows the owner of the resource (file, folder, etc.) to determine access permissions. The owner can grant or revoke access at their discretion, making it more flexible but less secure than MAC.

Topics

#MAC#DAC#access control#security models

Community Discussion

No community discussion yet for this question.

Full 200-201 Practice