The answer is insecure application programming interfaces (APIs), misconfigured cloud storage, and insufficient identity and access management (IAM) controls. These three are common security risks in cloud computing because they directly expose critical assets to unauthorized access or data breaches. Misconfigured cloud storage, such as an Amazon S3 bucket with overly permissive ACLs or a publicly accessible Azure Blob container, can leak sensitive data without any authentication, while weak APIs and IAM policies create entry points for attackers to manipulate or exfiltrate data. On the Certified Ethical Hacker CEH exam, this topic tests your understanding of the Cloud Security Alliance’s top threats, often appearing in scenario-based questions where you must identify the root cause of a breach. A common trap is focusing on network-level attacks like DDoS instead of these configuration and interface flaws. Memory tip: think “API, IAM, Bucket” as the three pillars of cloud exposure—each one a door left unlocked.
CEH Wireless, IoT and Cloud Security Practice Question
This CEH practice question tests your understanding of wireless, iot and cloud security. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
Which THREE of the following are common security risks associated with cloud computing?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Misconfigured cloud storage leading to data exposure.
Option B is correct because misconfigured cloud storage, such as an Amazon S3 bucket with overly permissive ACLs or a publicly accessible Azure Blob container, is one of the most common cloud security risks. This misconfiguration can expose sensitive data to the internet without authentication, leading to data breaches. The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) consistently lists misconfiguration as a top cloud threat.
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.
✗
Physical theft of servers from the data center.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud providers secure data centers.
✓
Misconfigured cloud storage leading to data exposure.
Why this is correct
Common misconfiguration.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Shared technology vulnerabilities in multi-tenant environments.
Why this is correct
Shared resources can lead to isolation issues.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Hypervisor compromise due to unpatched vulnerabilities.
Why it's wrong here
Providers patch hypervisors.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'hypervisor compromise' (Option E) as a common risk, but the CEH exam emphasizes that misconfiguration, shared technology vulnerabilities, and insecure APIs are the three most prevalent cloud security risks according to the CSA and NIST guidelines.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Shared technology vulnerabilities (Option C) arise in multi-tenant environments where the hypervisor or underlying hardware is shared; a flaw in the hypervisor (e.g., CVE-2018-3646 for L1TF) could allow a malicious VM to access another tenant's memory. Insecure APIs (Option D) are critical because cloud services rely on RESTful APIs with OAuth 2.0 or AWS Signature V4; if these APIs lack proper authentication or rate limiting, attackers can enumerate resources or perform privilege escalation. Real-world examples include the 2019 Capital One breach, where a misconfigured WAF allowed SSRF via the AWS metadata API.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CEH question in full detail.
Wireless, IoT and Cloud Security — This question tests Wireless, IoT and Cloud Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Misconfigured cloud storage leading to data exposure. — Option B is correct because misconfigured cloud storage, such as an Amazon S3 bucket with overly permissive ACLs or a publicly accessible Azure Blob container, is one of the most common cloud security risks. This misconfiguration can expose sensitive data to the internet without authentication, leading to data breaches. The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) consistently lists misconfiguration as a top cloud threat.
What should I do if I get this CEH 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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
This CEH practice question is part of Courseiva's free EC-Council 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 CEH exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.