What can happen if programmers are granted access to operational systems?

Granting programmers access to operational systems poses significant risks, chief among them the potential for unauthorized changes to be made during execution. This scenario highlights the consequences of giving developers direct access to these critical systems, as it opens the door for them to modify code or system configurations that could lead to unapproved alterations of data or system behavior.

Operational systems are vital to everyday business functions and often contain sensitive and critical information. If programmers have unrestricted access, they can inadvertently or intentionally make changes without proper oversight, which could disrupt operations, compromise data integrity, or introduce vulnerabilities. Thus, managing access is essential to maintain security and ensure that any changes to the system are controlled and documented through formal processes.

The other options do not accurately capture the risks associated with unrestricted access. While system efficiency, frequent updates, and error fixing are relevant considerations in programming, they do not address the foundational issue of access control and the serious risks involved in allowing programmers to manipulate operational systems directly.