CCSP Legal, Risk, and Compliance Practice Question
A cloud customer is negotiating a contract with a new cloud provider. The customer wants to ensure they can maintain control over their data and verify the provider's security posture. Which TWO contractual provisions are most critical for these purposes? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between contractual clauses that provide legal ownership (data ownership) versus operational capabilities (data portability, deletion) versus performance guarantees (SLA), and candidates frequently confuse the right to audit with a general SLA or data portability clause.
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
✓
Data ownership clause specifying customer retains all rights to data
Option B is correct because a data ownership clause explicitly stating that the customer retains all rights to their data directly addresses the customer's goal of maintaining control over their data, removing ambiguity about who owns the information stored with the provider. Option E is correct because a right-to-audit provision lets the customer independently verify the provider's security posture through assessments, certifications, or on-site audits, which is exactly the verification capability the customer wants. Option A is not the best fit because data portability addresses avoiding lock-in and migrating data, not ownership control or security verification. Option C is not selected because deletion on termination concerns data disposal, not ongoing control or security posture verification. Option D is not selected because an SLA for uptime and performance covers availability and service quality, not data control or security assurance.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Data portability clause to export data in a usable format
Why it's wrong here
Portability lets the customer export data at exit, but does not itself verify the provider's security posture or govern day-to-day control. It is tempting because portability genuinely counters lock-in, and would be the right provision when the requirement is avoiding vendor lock-in through retrievable, standard-format exports.
- ✓
Data ownership clause specifying customer retains all rights to data
Why this is correct
A data ownership clause contractually confirms the customer retains all rights to their data, preserving control and preventing the provider from claiming or repurposing it. This directly satisfies the requirement to maintain control over data.
- ✗
Data deletion clause for removal upon contract termination
Why it's wrong here
Deletion on termination addresses end-of-contract disposal, not ongoing control or posture verification, so it fails both stated aims. It is tempting because deletion clauses genuinely matter for data remanence and regulatory erasure obligations, and would be the right provision when the requirement is certified destruction at exit.
- ✗
Service Level Agreement (SLA) for uptime and performance
Why it's wrong here
An SLA covers availability and performance metrics, giving no mechanism to inspect the provider's security controls or retain data control. It is tempting because SLAs are the standard contractual lever for accountability, and would be correct where the requirement is measurable uptime, latency or service credits.
- ✓
Right to audit the cloud provider's security controls
Why this is correct
The right to audit lets the customer independently inspect and verify the provider's security controls against agreed standards, rather than relying solely on provider assertions. This directly satisfies the requirement to verify the provider's security posture.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.