Cloud Security Alliance Cloud Security Alliance Certifications CCZT Questions & Answers

• Question 31:

  Which activity of the ZT implementation preparation phase ensures the resiliency of the organization's operations in the event of disruption?

  A. Change management process

  B. Business continuity and disaster recovery

  C. Visibility and analytics

  D. Compliance

  Correct Answer: B

  Business continuity and disaster recovery are the activities of the ZT implementation preparation phase that ensure the resiliency of the organization's operations in the event of disruption. Business continuity refers to the process of

  maintaining or restoring the essential functions of the organization during and after a crisis, such as a natural disaster, a cyberattack, or a pandemic. Disaster recovery refers to the process of recovering the IT systems, data, and infrastructure

  that support the business continuity. ZT implementation requires planning and testing the business continuity and disaster recovery strategies and procedures, as well as aligning them with the ZT policies and controls.

  References:

  Zero Trust Planning - Cloud Security Alliance, section "Monitor and Measure" Zero Trust architecture: a paradigm shift in cybersecurity - PwC, section "Continuous monitoring and improvement"

  Zero Trust Implementation, section "Outline Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) implementation steps"

• Question 32:

  In a continual improvement model, who maintains the ZT policies?

  A. System administrators

  B. ZT administrators

  C. Server administrators

  D. Policy administrators

  Correct Answer: D

  In a continual improvement model, policy administrators are the ones who maintain the ZT policies. Policy administrators are ZTA policy entities that are responsible for crafting and maintaining the policies that govern the access to resources in a ZT environment1. Policy administrators define the rules and conditions that specify who, what, when, where, and how an entity can access a resource, based on the principle of least privilege2. Policy administrators also update and review the policies periodically to ensure they are aligned with the changing business and security requirements3. References: Zero Trust Architecture | NIST Zero Trust Architecture: Policy Engine and Policy Administrator Zero Trust Architecture: Policy Administration

• Question 33:

  What steps should organizations take to strengthen access requirements and protect their resources from unauthorized access by potential cyber threats?

  A. Understand and identify the data and assets that need to be protected

  B. Identify the relevant architecture capabilities and components that could impact ZT

  C. Implement user-based certificates for authentication

  D. Update controls for assets impacted by ZT

  Correct Answer: A

  The first step that organizations should take to strengthen access requirements and protect their resources from unauthorized access by potential cyber threats is to understand and identify the data and assets that need to be protected. This step involves conducting a data and asset inventory and classification, which helps to determine the value, sensitivity, ownership, and location of the data and assets. By understanding and identifying the dataand assets that need to be protected, organizations can define the appropriate access policies and controls based on the Zero Trust principles of never trust, always verify, and assume breach. References: Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) - Cloud Security Alliance, Zero Trust Training (ZTT) - Module 2: Data and Asset Classification

• Question 34:

  SDP features, like multi-factor authentication (MFA), mutual transport layer security (mTLS), and device fingerprinting, protect against

  A. phishing

  B. certificate forgery

  C. domain name system (DNS) poisoning

  D. code injections

  Correct Answer: A

  SDP features, like multi-factor authentication (MFA), mutual transport layer security (mTLS), and device fingerprinting, protect against phishing attacks by verifying the identity and authenticity of both the user and the device before granting access to a resource. Phishing attacks are attempts to trick users into revealing their credentials or other sensitive information by impersonating a legitimate entity or service1. SDP features can prevent phishing attacks by: MFA: MFA is a security mechanism that requires a user to provide more than one piece of evidence to prove their identity, such as a password, a one-time code, a biometric factor, or a physical token2. MFA can protect against phishing attacks by making it harder for attackers to access a resource even if they manage to obtain the user's password or other credentials2. mTLS: mTLS is a security protocol that enables mutual authentication and encryption between two parties, such as a client and a server3. mTLS can protect against phishing attacks by ensuring that both the client and the server have valid and trusted certificates, and by preventing attackers from intercepting or modifying the communication between them3. Device fingerprinting: Device fingerprinting is a technique that identifies and verifies a device based on its unique characteristics, such as its operating system, browser, IP address, or hardware configuration4. Device fingerprinting can protect against phishing attacks by allowing only authorized devices to access a resource, and by detecting any anomalies or changes in the device's attributes that may indicate a compromise4. References: What is Phishing? | How to Identify and Prevent Phishing Attacks | Cloudflare What is Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)? | Cloudflare What is Mutual TLS (mTLS)? | Cloudflare What is Device Fingerprinting? | Cloudflare

• Question 35:

  During the monitoring and analytics phase of ZT transaction flows, organizations should collect statistics and profile the behavior of transactions. What does this support in the ZTA?

  A. Creating firewall policies to protect data in motion

  B. A continuous assessment of all transactions

  C. Feeding transaction logs into a log monitoring engine

  D. The monitoring of relevant data in critical areas

  Correct Answer: B

  During the monitoring and analytics phase of ZT transaction flows, organizations should collect statistics and profile the behavior of transactions to support a continuous assessment of all transactions. A continuous assessment of all

  transactions means that the organization constantly evaluates the security posture, performance, and compliance of each transaction, and detects and responds to any anomalies, deviations, or threats. Acontinuous assessment of all

  transactions helps to maintain a high level of protection and resilience in the ZTA, and enables the organization to adjust and improve the policies and controls accordingly.

  References:

  Zero Trust Planning - Cloud Security Alliance, section "Monitor and Measure" The role of visibility and analytics in zero trust architectures, section "The basic NIST tenets of this approach include"

  Move to the Zero Trust Security Model - Trailhead, section "Monitor and Maintain Your Environment"

• Question 36:

  Optimal compliance posture is mainly achieved through two key ZT features:_____ and_____

  A. (1) Principle of least privilege (2) Verifying remote access connections

  B. (1) Discovery (2) Mapping access controls and network assets

  C. (1) Authentication (2) Authorization of all networked assets

  D. (1) Never trusting (2) Reducing the attack surface

  Correct Answer: D

  Optimal compliance posture is mainly achieved through two key ZT features: never trusting and reducing the attack surface. Never trusting means that no entity or resource is assumed to be trustworthy or secure by default, and that every request for access or transaction is verified and validated before granting access or allowing the transaction. Reducing the attack surface means that the exposure and vulnerability of the assets and resources are minimized by implementing granular and dynamic policies, controls, and segmentation. These two features help to ensure that the organization complies with the security standards and regulations, and that the risks of breaches and incidents are reduced. References: Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) - Cloud Security Alliance, Zero Trust Training (ZTT) - Module 1: Strategy and Governance

• Question 37:

  Which of the following is a common activity in the scope, priority, and business case steps of ZT planning?

  A. Determine the organization's current state

  B. Prioritize protect surfaces O C. Develop a target architecture

  C. Identify business and service owners

  Correct Answer: A

  A common activity in the scope, priority, and business case steps of ZT planning is to determine the organization's current state. This involves assessing the existing security posture, architecture, policies, processes, and capabilities of the

  organization, as well as identifying the key stakeholders, business drivers, and goals for the ZT initiative. Determining the current state helps to establish a baseline, identify gaps and risks, and define the scope and priority of the ZT

  transformation.

  References:

  Zero Trust Planning - Cloud Security Alliance, section "Scope, Priority, and Business Case"

  The Zero Trust Journey: 4 Phases of Implementation - SEI Blog, section "First Phase: Prepare"

• Question 38:

  In a ZTA, automation and orchestration can increase security by using the following means:

  A. Kubernetes and docker

  B. Static application security testing (SAST) and dynamic application security testing (DAST)

  C. Data loss prevention (DLP) and cloud security access broker (CASB)

  D. Infrastructure as code (laC) and identity lifecycle management

  Correct Answer: D

  Explanation: In a ZTA, automation and orchestration can increase security by using the following means: Infrastructure as code (laC): laC is a practice of managing and provisioning IT infrastructure through code, rather than manual processes or configuration tools1. laC can increase security by enabling consistent, repeatable, and scalable deployment of ZTA components, such as policies, gateways, firewalls, and micro- segments2. laC can also facilitate compliance, auditability, and change management, as well as reduce human errors and configuration drifts3. Identity lifecycle management: Identity lifecycle management is a process of managing the creation, modification, and deletion of user identities and their access rights throughout their lifecycle4. Identity lifecycle management can increase security by ensuring that users have the appropriate level of access to resources at any given time, based on the principle of least privilege5. Identity lifecycle management can also automate the provisioning and deprovisioning of user accounts, enforce strong authentication and authorization policies, and monitor and audit user activity and behavior6. References: What is Infrastructure as Code? | Cloudflare Zero Trust Architecture: Infrastructure as Code Infrastructure as Code: Security Best Practices What is Identity Lifecycle Management? | One Identity Zero Trust Architecture: Identity and Access Management Identity Lifecycle Management: A Zero Trust Security Strategy

• Question 39:

  To validate the implementation of ZT and ZTA, rigorous testing is essential. This ensures that access controls are functioning correctly and effectively safeguarded against potential threats, while the intended service levels are delivered. Testing of ZT is therefore

  A. creating an agile culture for rapid deployment of ZT

  B. integrated in the overall cybersecurity program

  C. providing evidence of continuous improvement

  D. allowing direct user feedback

  Correct Answer: C

  Testing of ZT is providing evidence of continuous improvement because it helps to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the ZT and ZTA implementation. Testing of ZT also helps to identify and address any gaps, issues, or risks that may arise during the ZT and ZTA lifecycle. Testing of ZT enables the organization to monitor and evaluate the ZT and ZTA performance and maturity, and to apply feedback and lessons learned to improve the ZT and ZTA processes and outcomes. References: Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) - Cloud Security Alliance, Zero Trust Training (ZTT) - Module 8: Testing and Validation

• Question 40:

  When implementing ZTA, why is it important to collect logs from different log sources?

  A. Collecting logs supports investigations, dashboard creation, and policy adjustments.

  B. Collecting logs supports recording transaction flows, mapping transaction flows, and detecting changes in transaction flows.

  C. Collecting logs supports change management, incident management, visibility and analytics.

  D. Collecting logs supports micro-segmentation, device security, and governance.

  Correct Answer: C

  Log collection is an essential component of ZTA, as it provides the data needed to monitor, audit, and improve the security posture of the network. By collecting logs from different sources, such as devices, applications, firewalls, gateways,

  and policies, ZTA can support various functions, such as:

  Change management: Logs can help track and document any changes made to the network configuration, policies, or resources, and assess their impact on the security and performance of the network. Logs can also help identify and revert

  any unauthorized or erroneous changes that may compromise the network integrity1.

  Incident management: Logs can help detect and respond to any security incidents, such as breaches, attacks, or anomalies, that may occur in the network. Logs can provide the evidence and context needed to investigate the root cause,

  scope, and impact of the incident, and to take appropriate remediation actions2. Visibility and analytics: Logs can help provide a comprehensive and granular view of the network activity, performance, and behavior. Logs can be used to

  generate dashboards, reports, and alerts that can help measure and improve the network security and efficiency. Logs can also be used to apply advanced analytics techniques, such as machine learning, to identify patterns, trends, and

  insights that can help optimize the network operations and security3.

  References:

  Zero Trust Architecture: Data Sources

  Zero Trust Architecture: Incident Response

  Zero Trust Architecture: Visibility and Analytics