- A
Use the cloud provider's managed certificate service to provision and attach the certificate to the load balancer.
The managed service automates certificate lifecycle, reducing administrative overhead and risk.
- B
Generate a self-signed certificate and configure the web server to use it.
Why wrong: Self-signed certificates are not trusted by browsers and would cause security warnings.
- C
Disable HTTPS and rely on network-level encryption provided by the cloud provider.
Why wrong: Disabling HTTPS eliminates end-to-end encryption, leaving data vulnerable.
- D
Create a certificate signing request (CSR) and submit it to a public CA, then install the certificate and private key on the VM.
Why wrong: Storing the private key on the VM increases the risk of exposure; managed services handle key storage securely.
CV0-004 Security Practice Question
This CV0-004 practice question tests your understanding of security. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 cloud administrator is configuring a web application hosted on a public cloud VM. The application must be accessible over HTTPS, and the administrator needs to ensure that all traffic between the client and the server is encrypted. The cloud provider offers a managed certificate service. Which of the following is the BEST practice for securing the application?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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 the cloud provider's managed certificate service to provision and attach the certificate to the load balancer.
The cloud provider's managed certificate service automatically handles certificate provisioning, renewal, and attachment to the load balancer, ensuring HTTPS traffic is encrypted with a trusted certificate from a public CA. This is the best practice because it offloads TLS termination to the load balancer, reducing the VM's CPU overhead and centralizing certificate management. It also ensures the certificate is automatically renewed before expiry, preventing service disruptions.
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 the cloud provider's managed certificate service to provision and attach the certificate to the load balancer.
Why this is correct
The managed service automates certificate lifecycle, reducing administrative overhead and risk.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Generate a self-signed certificate and configure the web server to use it.
Why it's wrong here
Self-signed certificates are not trusted by browsers and would cause security warnings.
- ✗
Disable HTTPS and rely on network-level encryption provided by the cloud provider.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling HTTPS eliminates end-to-end encryption, leaving data vulnerable.
- ✗
Create a certificate signing request (CSR) and submit it to a public CA, then install the certificate and private key on the VM.
Why it's wrong here
Storing the private key on the VM increases the risk of exposure; managed services handle key storage securely.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think manually installing a certificate from a public CA (Option D) is more secure or gives more control, but the cloud provider's managed service is the best practice because it automates lifecycle management and offloads TLS termination to the load balancer, reducing attack surface and operational burden.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Managed certificate services typically use ACME (Automated Certificate Management Environment) protocols (RFC 8555) to automatically obtain and renew certificates from a public CA like Let's Encrypt or a cloud provider's own CA. The load balancer terminates TLS at Layer 4/7, decrypting traffic before forwarding it to the VM over the internal network, which can be further secured with a VPC or private subnet. This architecture also enables features like TLS 1.3 support, OCSP stapling, and centralized logging of TLS handshake failures.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CV0-004 question test?
Security — This question tests Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use the cloud provider's managed certificate service to provision and attach the certificate to the load balancer. — The cloud provider's managed certificate service automatically handles certificate provisioning, renewal, and attachment to the load balancer, ensuring HTTPS traffic is encrypted with a trusted certificate from a public CA. This is the best practice because it offloads TLS termination to the load balancer, reducing the VM's CPU overhead and centralizing certificate management. It also ensures the certificate is automatically renewed before expiry, preventing service disruptions.
What should I do if I get this CV0-004 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
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