Cloud Security Alliance Cloud Security Alliance Certifications CCZT Questions & Answers

• Question 41:

  What does device validation help establish in a ZT deployment?

  A. Connection based on user

  B. High-speed network connectivity

  C. Trusted connection based on certificate-based keys

  D. Unrestricted public access

  Correct Answer: C

  Device validation helps establish a trusted connection based on certificate-based keys in a ZT deployment. Device validation is the process of verifying the identity and posture of the devices that request access to the protected resources.

  Device validation relies on the use of certificates, which are digital credentials that bind the device identity to a public key. Certificates are issued by a trusted authority and can be used to authenticate the device and encrypt the

  communication. Device validation helps to ensure that only healthy and compliant devices can access the resources, and that the connection is secure and confidential.

  References:

  Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) prepkit, page 15, section 2.2.3 Zero Trust and Windows device health - Windows Security, section "Device health attestation on Windows"

  Devices and zero trust | Google Cloud Blog, section "In a zero trust environment, every device has to earn trust in order to be granted access."

• Question 42:

  Which approach to ZTA strongly emphasizes proper governance of access privileges and entitlements for specific assets?

  A. ZTA using device application sandboxing

  B. ZTA using enhanced identity governance

  C. ZTA using micro-segmentation

  D. ZTA using network infrastructure and SDPs

  Correct Answer: B

  ZTA using enhanced identity governance is an approach to ZTA that strongly emphasizes proper governance of access privileges and entitlements for specific assets. This approach focuses on managing the identity lifecycle, enforcing granular and dynamic policies, and auditing and monitoring access activities. ZTA using enhanced identity governance helps to ensure that only authorized and verified entities can access the protected assets based on the principle of least privilege and the context of the request. References: Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) - Cloud Security Alliance, Zero Trust Training (ZTT) - Module 5: Enhanced Identity Governance

• Question 43:

  When preparing to implement ZTA, some changes may be required. Which of the following components should the organization consider as part of their checklist to ensure a successful implementation?

  A. Vulnerability scanning, patch management, change management, and problem management

  B. Organization's governance, compliance, risk management, and operations

  C. Incident management, business continuity planning (BCP), disaster recovery (DR), and training and awareness programs

  D. Visibility and analytics integration and services accessed using mobile devices

  Correct Answer: B

  When preparing to implement ZTA, some changes may be required in the organization's governance, compliance, risk management, and operations. These components are essential for ensuring a successful implementation of ZTA, as they involve the following aspects12: Governance: This refers to the establishment of a clear vision, strategy, and roadmap for ZTA, as well as the definition of roles, responsibilities, and authorities for ZTA stakeholders. Governance also involves the alignment of ZTA with the organization's mission, goals, and objectives, and the communication and collaboration among ZTA teams and other business units. Compliance: This refers to the adherence to the relevant laws, regulations, standards, and policies that apply to the organization's ZTA. Compliance also involves the identification and mitigation of any legal or contractual risks or issues that may arise from ZTA implementation, such as data privacy, security, and sovereignty. Risk management: This refers to the assessment and management of the risks associated with ZTA implementation, such as technical, operational, financial, or reputational risks. Risk management also involves the development and implementation of risk mitigation strategies, controls, and metrics, as well as the monitoring and reporting of risk status and performance. Operations: This refers to the execution and maintenance of the ZTA processes, technologies, and services, as well as the integration and interoperability of ZTA with the existing IT infrastructure and systems. Operations also involve the optimization and improvement of ZTA efficiency and effectiveness, as well as the resolution of any operational issues or incidents. References: Zero Trust Architecture: Governance Zero Trust Architecture: Acquisition and Adoption

• Question 44:

  When kicking off ZT planning, what is the first step for an organization in defining priorities?

  A. Determine current state

  B. Define the scope

  C. Define a business case

  D. Identifying the data and assets

  Correct Answer: A

  The first step for an organization in defining priorities for ZT planning is to determine the current state of its network, security, and business environment. This involves conducting a comprehensive assessment of the existing IT infrastructure, systems, applications, data, and assets, as well as the threats, risks, and vulnerabilities that affect them. The current state analysis also involves identifying the gaps, challenges, and opportunities for improvement in the current security posture, as well as the business goals, objectives, and requirements for ZT implementation12. By determining the current state, the organization can establish a baseline for measuring the progress and impact of ZT, as well as prioritize the most critical and urgent areas for ZT adoption. References: Planning for a Zero Trust Architecture: A Planning Guide for Federal Administrators | CSRC Publications NIST Zero Trust Architecture Explained: A Step-by-Step Approach - Comparitech

• Question 45:

  SDP incorporates single-packet authorization (SPA). After successful authentication and authorization, what does the client usually do next? Select the best answer.

  A. Generates an SPA packet and sends it to the initiating host.

  B. Generates an SPA packet and sends it to the controller.

  C. Generates an SPA packet and sends it to the accepting host.

  D. Generates an SPA packet and sends it to the gateway.

  Correct Answer: B

  After successful authentication and authorization, the client typically sends an SPA packet to the controller, which acts as an intermediary in authenticating the client's request before access to the accepting host is granted. References: Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) - Cloud Security Alliance, Zero Trust Training (ZTT) - Module 9: Risk Management

• Question 46:

  According to NIST, what are the key mechanisms for defining, managing, and enforcing policies in a ZTA?

  A. Policy decision point (PDP), policy enforcement point (PEP), and policy information point (PIP)

  B. Data access policy, public key infrastructure (PKI), and identity and access management (IAM)

  C. Control plane, data plane, and application plane

  D. Policy engine (PE), policy administrator (PA), and policy broker (PB)

  Correct Answer: A

  According to NIST, the key mechanisms for defining, managing, and enforcing policies in a ZTA are the policy decision point (PDP), the policy enforcement point (PEP), and the policy information point (PIP). The PDP is the component that

  evaluates the policies and the contextual data collected from various sources and generates an access decision. The PEP isthe component that enforces the access decision on the resource. The PIP is the component that provides the

  contextual data to the PDP, such as the user identity, the device posture, the network location, the resource attributes, and the environmental factors.

  References:

  Zero Trust Architecture Project - NIST Computer Security Resource Center, slide 9 What Is Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA)? - F5, section "Policy Engine" Zero Trust Frameworks Architecture Guide - Cisco, page 4, section "Policy Decision

  Point"

• Question 47:

  What is the function of the rule-based security policies configured on the policy decision point (PDP)?

  A. Define rules that specify how information can flow

  B. Define rules that specify multi-factor authentication (MFA) requirements

  C. Define rules that map roles to users

  D. Define rules that control the entitlements to assets

  Correct Answer: D

  Rule-based security policies are a type of attribute-based access control (ABAC) policies that define rules that control the entitlements to assets, such as data, applications, or devices, based on the attributes of the subjects, objects, and

  environment. The policy decision point (PDP) is the component in a zero trust architecture (ZTA) that evaluates the rule-based security policies and generates an access decision for each request.

  References:

  Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) prepkit, page 14, section 2.2.2 A Zero Trust Policy Model | SpringerLink, section "Rule-Based Policies" Zero Trust architecture: a paradigm shift in cybersecurity - PwC, section "Security policy

  and control framework"

• Question 48:

  Scenario: As a ZTA security administrator, you aim to enforce the principle of least privilege for private cloud network access. Which ZTA policy entity is mainly responsible for crafting and maintaining these policies?

  A. Gateway enforcing access policies

  B. Policy enforcement point (PEP)

  C. Policy administrator (PA)

  D. Policy decision point (PDP)

  Correct Answer: C

  A policy administrator (PA) is a ZTA policy entity that is responsible for crafting and maintaining the policies that govern the access to resources in a ZT environment1. A PA defines 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. A PA also updates and reviews 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 49:

  Which of the following is a required concept of single packet authorizations (SPAs)?

  A. An SPA packet must be digitally signed and authenticated.

  B. An SPA packet must self-contain all necessary information.

  C. An SPA header is encrypted and thus trustworthy.

  D. Upon receiving an SPA, a server must respond to establish secure connectivity.

  Correct Answer: A

  Single Packet Authorization (SPA) is a security protocol that allows a user to access a secure network without the need to enter a password or other credentials. Instead, it is an authentication protocol that uses a single packet ?an encrypted packet of data ?to convey a user's identity and request access1. A key concept of SPA is that the SPA packet must be digitally signed and authenticated by the SPA server before granting access to the user. This ensures that only authorized users can send valid SPA packets and prevents replay attacks, spoofing attacks, or brute-force attacks23. References: Zero Trust: Single Packet Authorization | Passive authorization Single Packet Authorization | Linux Journal Single Packet Authorization Explained | Appgate Whitepaper

• Question 50:

  How can device impersonation attacks be effectively prevented in a ZTA?

  A. Strict access control

  B. Micro-segmentation

  C. Organizational asset management

  D. Single packet authorization (SPA)

  Correct Answer: D

  SPA is a security protocol that prevents device impersonation attacks in a ZTA by hiding the network infrastructure from unauthorized and unauthenticated users. SPA uses a single encrypted packet to convey the user's identity and request access to a resource. The SPA packet must be digitally signed and authenticated by the SPA server before granting access. This ensures that only authorized devices can send valid SPA packets and prevents spoofing, replay, or brute-force attacks12.

  References:

  Zero Trust: Single Packet Authorization | Passive authorization Single Packet Authorization | Linux Journal