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Security Fundamentals & Crypto · Intermediate

Dual Control

Requiring two or more authorized people to act together to perform a sensitive operation.

Definition

Dual control requires the simultaneous participation of multiple people, such as two keys or two approvals, to complete an action. It is used for vault access, key ceremonies, and high-risk administrative changes. It differs from split knowledge, which divides information rather than physical or logical action.

Example

Opening a bank vault requires two managers to turn separate keys at the same time.

Exam tip

Dual control = two people act together; split knowledge = each person knows only part of a secret.

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