- A
Use AWS IAM roles for each microservice to authenticate via AWS Signature Version 4.
Why wrong: IAM roles are for AWS API access, not for mTLS between microservices.
- B
Store certificates in AWS Secrets Manager and configure sidecar proxies to retrieve them.
Why wrong: Secrets Manager can store secrets but does not issue or manage certificates for mTLS.
- C
Deploy AWS CloudHSM to generate keys and certificates for each microservice.
Why wrong: CloudHSM provides secure key storage but does not issue certificates or integrate directly with service mesh.
- D
Use AWS Certificate Manager Private CA with a service mesh (e.g., Istio) to issue and rotate certificates for each service.
ACM Private CA can issue certificates for mTLS, and service mesh can automate certificate distribution.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to use AWS Certificate Manager Private CA with a service mesh like Istio for mTLS certificate management in microservices. This solution works because ACM Private CA acts as a dedicated certificate authority that integrates directly with the service mesh’s sidecar proxy, automatically issuing, distributing, and rotating short-lived mTLS certificates for each microservice without any manual intervention. On the Cisco SCOR 350-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of modern cloud-native security architectures, specifically how to offload certificate lifecycle management to a managed CA and a service mesh control plane. A common trap is selecting a manual certificate distribution method or a simple TLS termination at a load balancer, which fails to provide per-service mutual authentication. Remember the key phrase: “mesh-managed mTLS with ACM Private CA” — think of the service mesh as the automated certificate courier and ACM Private CA as the trusted notary, eliminating the need for individual certificate handling.
350-701 Cloud Security Practice Question
This 350-701 practice question tests your understanding of cloud security. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company is deploying a cloud-native application using microservices on AWS. They need to ensure that inter-service communication is encrypted and authenticated. The security team wants to use mutual TLS (mTLS) without managing individual certificates. Which solution should they implement?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Use AWS Certificate Manager Private CA with a service mesh (e.g., Istio) to issue and rotate certificates for each service.
Option D is correct because AWS Certificate Manager Private CA can integrate with a service mesh like Istio to automatically issue, distribute, and rotate mTLS certificates for each microservice. This eliminates the need for manual certificate management while ensuring encrypted and authenticated inter-service communication via mutual TLS.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use AWS IAM roles for each microservice to authenticate via AWS Signature Version 4.
Why it's wrong here
IAM roles are for AWS API access, not for mTLS between microservices.
- ✗
Store certificates in AWS Secrets Manager and configure sidecar proxies to retrieve them.
Why it's wrong here
Secrets Manager can store secrets but does not issue or manage certificates for mTLS.
- ✗
Deploy AWS CloudHSM to generate keys and certificates for each microservice.
Why it's wrong here
CloudHSM provides secure key storage but does not issue certificates or integrate directly with service mesh.
- ✓
Use AWS Certificate Manager Private CA with a service mesh (e.g., Istio) to issue and rotate certificates for each service.
Why this is correct
ACM Private CA can issue certificates for mTLS, and service mesh can automate certificate distribution.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between authentication mechanisms (IAM SigV4 vs. mTLS) and automation requirements, leading candidates to choose a manual certificate storage solution (like Secrets Manager) instead of an integrated PKI and service mesh approach.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In a service mesh like Istio, the control plane (e.g., Istiod) integrates with ACM Private CA to issue short-lived X.509 certificates (often with a TTL of 24 hours) to each Envoy sidecar proxy via the Secret Discovery Service (SDS) protocol. This ensures automatic rotation and revocation without manual intervention, and the mTLS handshake uses TLS 1.2 or 1.3 with client certificate verification, providing both encryption and authentication at the transport layer.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 350-701 question test?
Cloud Security — This question tests Cloud Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use AWS Certificate Manager Private CA with a service mesh (e.g., Istio) to issue and rotate certificates for each service. — Option D is correct because AWS Certificate Manager Private CA can integrate with a service mesh like Istio to automatically issue, distribute, and rotate mTLS certificates for each microservice. This eliminates the need for manual certificate management while ensuring encrypted and authenticated inter-service communication via mutual TLS.
What should I do if I get this 350-701 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This 350-701 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 350-701 exam.
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