Which method prevents unauthorized access to Week 1 materials?

• A. Share credentials openly to all staff.
• B. Utilize access controls, permissions, and secure storage.
• C. Store on unsecured shared drives.
• D. Distribute on public networks.

Answer: (B)

Implementing access controls with precise permissions and secure storage is how you reliably prevent unauthorized access to sensitive materials. Access controls define who is allowed to view or use a resource, and permissions enforce what each authorized person can do. When you combine these with secure storage—where the material lives in a protected location, possibly encrypted, with access logging—you create a defense-in-depth that limits exposure and provides traceability. This aligns with the idea of least privilege: people only have access to what they truly need, and everything is auditable.

Sharing credentials openly breaks authentication, makes activity impossible to attribute, and dramatically increases the chance of misuse. An unsecured shared drive lacks proper permissioning, so many people can access it regardless of need. Public networks expose data to interception and eavesdropping, making sensitive content easy to steal. Together, these alternatives fail to control who accesses the materials or to monitor access, which is why using access controls, permissions, and secure storage is the correct approach.