This CCSP practice question tests your understanding of cloud security operations. 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 log retention for a financial application that must comply with PCI DSS. What is the minimum log retention period required by PCI DSS?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
At least 90 days.
Why wrong: 90 days is below the minimum requirement.
At least six months.
Why wrong: Six months is insufficient for PCI DSS.
At least five years.
Why wrong: PCI DSS does not require five years; one year is the standard.
At least one year with the most recent three months available online.
PCI DSS Requirement 10.7 mandates retention for at least one year, with three months online.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
At least one year with the most recent three months available online.
PCI DSS requirement 10.7 mandates that audit trail history must be retained for at least one year, with the most recent three months of logs immediately available for analysis. This ensures that historical data is preserved for forensic investigation while maintaining quick access to recent activity. Option D correctly states this dual requirement.
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.
At least 90 days.
Why it's wrong here
90 days is below the minimum requirement.
At least six months.
Why it's wrong here
Six months is insufficient for PCI DSS.
At least five years.
Why it's wrong here
PCI DSS does not require five years; one year is the standard.
At least one year with the most recent three months available online.
Why this is correct
PCI DSS Requirement 10.7 mandates retention for at least one year, with three months online.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the 'immediately available' 90-day requirement with the total retention period, leading them to incorrectly select Option A instead of recognizing the full one-year retention mandate with the three-month online subset.
Detailed technical explanation
Under PCI DSS, logs must be retained for at least one year, but the most recent three months must be 'readily available' for immediate review, often meaning online or nearline storage. The remaining nine months can be archived offline or in cold storage, but must be retrievable within a reasonable timeframe for investigations. This distinction is critical for cloud administrators to design tiered storage strategies, such as using hot storage for the first 90 days and cold storage for the remainder.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
What to study next
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Cloud Security Operations — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
Cloud Security Operations practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
All CCSP questions
504 questions across all exam domains
Certified Cloud Security Professional CCSP study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
CCSP practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise CCSP questions linked to Cloud Application Security.
Practise CCSP questions linked to Cloud Security Operations.
Practise CCSP questions linked to Legal, Risk and Compliance.
Practise CCSP questions linked to Cloud Concepts, Architecture and Design.
Practise CCSP questions linked to Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security.
Practise CCSP questions linked to Cloud Data Security.
Practise CCSP questions linked to CCSP fundamentals.
Practise CCSP questions linked to CCSP scenario.
Practise CCSP questions linked to CCSP troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Cloud Security Operations — This question tests Cloud Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: At least one year with the most recent three months available online. — PCI DSS requirement 10.7 mandates that audit trail history must be retained for at least one year, with the most recent three months of logs immediately available for analysis. This ensures that historical data is preserved for forensic investigation while maintaining quick access to recent activity. Option D correctly states this dual requirement.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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 →
Keep practising
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This CCSP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CCSP 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.