IPA IP 2020 Question 82
A question IPA Japan published in 令和2年度 10月 ITパスポート試験 公開問題 問82, translated into English. ITPEC is based on the same exams.
Same question on ITPEC: Nov 2021 Q44
Which of the following is a physical countermeasure for information security where depending on the importance of the information that is handled, an office or other such space is physically divided and separated into areas such as an open area, a security area, and a handover area?
Explanation
Zoning — dividing a building or office into areas by the importance of the information handled there, each with its own entry controls.
An open area (reception, meeting rooms for visitors) is reachable by anyone; a handover area is where goods and documents are passed to outsiders without letting them further in; a security area (server room, rooms handling confidential data) admits only authorised staff, checked by ID cards or biometrics. Stricter zones sit inside less strict ones, so an intruder must pass several controls.
Answer (c)
Why not others:
- •(a) Sanitizing — erasing data from media before disposal or reuse (or neutralising dangerous characters in web input); it does not divide space
- •(b) Social engineering — an attack that tricks people into revealing information, such as a fake phone call or peeking at a screen; not a countermeasure
- •(d) Hacking — gaining or attempting unauthorised access to computer systems; also an attack, not a countermeasure
Key rule: Physical security is layered: zones of increasing importance, each entered only through its own access control.
Security · AI-written, may contain errors
This question comes from the past questions IPA Japan publishes, translated into English by ITPEC Practice. ITPEC Practice is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with IPA or ITPEC. See the original paper (PDF) or Report an issue.