CISSP Question #52: Real Exam Question with Answer & Explanation

Question

Which one of the following describes granularity?

Options

• AMaximum number of entries available in an Access Control List (ACL)
• BFineness to which a trusted system can authenticate users
• CNumber of violations divided by the number of total accesses
• DFineness to which an access control system can be adjusted

Explanation

Granularity in Access Control

Granularity refers to the fineness or precision to which an access control system can be adjusted - meaning how specifically permissions can be defined and controlled (e.g., restricting access down to individual files, fields, or time windows rather than just broad categories). Option D captures this definition precisely.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• Option A describes a capacity limitation of an ACL, not a measure of precision or adjustability.
• Option B confuses granularity with authentication, which is a separate process; granularity applies to authorization/access control, not how finely users are identified.
• Option C describes a violation rate or error metric, which relates to access control auditing, not the adjustability of the system itself.

Memory Tip: Think of granularity like grains of sand - the finer the grain, the more precisely you can control things. A high-granularity access control system gives you "fine-grained" control, letting you restrict access with great specificity. If you remember "fine = granular = adjustable precision," you'll easily distinguish it from authentication or ACL size.

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