Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Practice Exam 2026 – All-in-One Guide to Mastering Your Certification!

The purpose of an Account Lockout feature is to disable an account after a set number of failed login attempts. This mechanism is crucial for enhancing security, as it helps to thwart unauthorized access attempts, often associated with brute-force attacks where an attacker tries to gain access by guessing passwords. By locking the account after a predefined threshold of incorrect entries, it mitigates the risk that an unauthorized user could successfully compromise the account through persistence.

This feature not only protects sensitive information and resources but also serves as an alert mechanism for administrators about potential attack patterns, allowing them to respond appropriately. Furthermore, it promotes the use of secure passwords by encouraging users to be more discerning about their credential entry.

Other options, while relevant to account management and security, do not align with the primary function of the Account Lockout feature. For instance, preventing unauthorized users from creating accounts pertains more to account provisioning strategies rather than post-login security measures. The monitoring of active accounts falls under user auditing practices rather than direct prevention techniques. Lastly, allowing users to reset their own passwords is essential for user support but does not address the security aspect that the Account Lockout feature is specifically designed to combat.