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Governance, Risk, Audit & Privacy · Foundational

Directive Control

Control that specifies required behavior, such as policies, standards, and procedures.

Definition

Directive controls tell people what to do or not do, including acceptable use policies, signage, and contractual obligations. They depend on awareness and enforcement. Security+ lists directive as a control type alongside preventive, detective, and others.

Example

An acceptable use policy directs employees not to install unapproved software.

Exam tip

Policies are directive controls, not preventive technical controls.

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