CAS-004 Security Architecture Practice Question
An organization is adopting a cloud-first strategy and wants to ensure proper security responsibilities are understood. Which concept defines the division of security responsibilities between the cloud provider and the customer?
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
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Shared responsibility model
The shared responsibility model defines which security tasks are handled by the provider (e.g., physical security) and which by the customer (e.g., data access).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Zero trust
Why it's wrong here
Zero trust is an access model requiring continuous verification of every request regardless of network location; it does not allocate duties between provider and customer. The shared responsibility model is the concept that partitions those duties, and would be correct when the question asks who secures what in cloud services.
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Shared responsibility model
Why this is correct
The shared responsibility model defines the security boundary between provider and customer, satisfying the cloud-first scenario's need to clarify who secures what. The provider secures the cloud infrastructure, while the customer secures data, identities, and access in the cloud. This division varies by service model (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), directly answering the stem's requirement.
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Software-defined perimeter
Why it's wrong here
Software-defined perimeter enforces identity-based, need-to-know access between endpoints, not the allocation of security duties between provider and customer. It is tempting because it addresses cloud access control, and would be the right answer if the question asked how to hide infrastructure from unauthenticated users.
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Defense in depth
Why it's wrong here
Defense in depth layers multiple independent controls to slow attackers, but it does not define who secures what across a provider-customer boundary. It is tempting because cloud security does rely on layered controls, and it would be correct if the question asked how to reduce single points of failure.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CAS-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 CAS-005 exam.