Quick Answer
The answer is the permissions assigned to the principal during the compromise window. This evidence directly determines the blast radius because cloud providers like AWS evaluate permissions at the exact moment of each API call, meaning the stolen token’s access is strictly limited to the actions and resources allowed by the policies attached to that IAM role or user at that time. On the CompTIA CySA+ CS0-003 exam, this concept tests your ability to distinguish between what an attacker *could* do versus what they *did* do; a common trap is confusing audit logs of actual activity with the permissions that define the potential scope of damage. To remember this, think of the blast radius as a locked room: the permissions are the key ring, not the footprints inside.
This CS0-003 practice question tests your understanding of incident response and management. 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.
An attacker used a stolen cloud token. Which evidence helps determine blast radius? (Choose two.)
The user's monitor brightness
Why wrong: Brightness is unrelated to cloud access.
Permissions assigned to the principal during the compromise window
Permissions bound the maximum possible access.
Audit events performed by the token or principal
Actions taken reveal impact.
The logo on the cloud provider website
Why wrong: Branding does not determine blast radius.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Permissions assigned to the principal during the compromise window
Option B is correct because the permissions assigned to the principal (e.g., an IAM role or user) during the compromise window directly define what actions the attacker could perform with the stolen token. Cloud providers like AWS evaluate permissions at the time of the API call, so the blast radius is limited to the resources and actions allowed by the policies attached at that moment. Without knowing these permissions, you cannot determine which data or services were accessible.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
The user's monitor brightness
Why it's wrong here
Brightness is unrelated to cloud access.
Permissions assigned to the principal during the compromise window
Why this is correct
Permissions bound the maximum possible access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Audit events performed by the token or principal
Why this is correct
Actions taken reveal impact.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
The logo on the cloud provider website
Why it's wrong here
Branding does not determine blast radius.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the misconception that physical or environmental factors (like monitor brightness) are relevant to cloud security incidents, leading candidates to select irrelevant options when they should focus on authorization and logging mechanisms.
Detailed technical explanation
In AWS, the blast radius is determined by evaluating the effective permissions of the compromised principal at the time of the incident, which may include session policies, resource-based policies, and service control policies (SCPs). CloudTrail audit events capture the `userIdentity`, `sourceIPAddress`, and `requestParameters` for each API call, allowing investigators to reconstruct the attacker's actions. A real-world scenario might involve a stolen token from a CI/CD pipeline with overly broad IAM roles, leading to data exfiltration from multiple S3 buckets; without both permission analysis and audit logs, the full impact could be underestimated.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
What to study next
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FAQ
Incident Response and Management — This question tests Incident Response and Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Permissions assigned to the principal during the compromise window — Option B is correct because the permissions assigned to the principal (e.g., an IAM role or user) during the compromise window directly define what actions the attacker could perform with the stolen token. Cloud providers like AWS evaluate permissions at the time of the API call, so the blast radius is limited to the resources and actions allowed by the policies attached at that moment. Without knowing these permissions, you cannot determine which data or services were accessible.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This CS0-003 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 CS0-003 exam.
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