- A
Cloud Provider Responsibility Matrix
This matrix is specifically mandated by PCI DSS for cloud environments.
- B
Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 report
Why wrong: SOC 2 is a voluntary audit report, not a requirement of PCI DSS.
- C
Business Associate Agreement (BAA)
Why wrong: BAA is for HIPAA compliance.
- D
Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
Why wrong: DPA is for GDPR, not PCI DSS.
Question 275 of 1,000
CCSP Legal, Risk, and Compliance Practice Question
This CCSP practice question tests your understanding of legal, risk, and compliance. 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 customer needs to comply with PCI DSS for a cardholder data environment (CDE) hosted on an IaaS platform. According to PCI DSS Appendix A3, which document is critical to define the security responsibilities between the customer and the cloud provider?
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
✓
Cloud Provider Responsibility Matrix
PCI DSS Appendix A3 requires cloud customers and providers to clearly define and document their respective security responsibilities for the cardholder data environment (CDE). The Cloud Provider Responsibility Matrix (often called a Shared Responsibility Matrix) is the critical document that delineates which party is responsible for each security control, such as firewall management, patch management, and access controls, ensuring compliance with PCI DSS requirements.
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.
- ✓
Cloud Provider Responsibility Matrix
Why this is correct
This matrix is specifically mandated by PCI DSS for cloud environments.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 report
Why it's wrong here
SOC 2 is a voluntary audit report, not a requirement of PCI DSS.
- ✗
Business Associate Agreement (BAA)
Why it's wrong here
BAA is for HIPAA compliance.
- ✗
Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
Why it's wrong here
DPA is for GDPR, not PCI DSS.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between compliance-specific documents (like the Responsibility Matrix for PCI DSS) and general operational or regulatory documents (like SOC 2, BAA, or DPA), leading candidates to confuse a broad audit report or a different regulation's agreement with the precise shared responsibility definition required by PCI DSS Appendix A3.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Cloud Provider Responsibility Matrix is a living document that maps each PCI DSS requirement (e.g., Requirement 1 for firewalls, Requirement 10 for logging) to either the customer, the provider, or shared responsibility. In IaaS, the customer typically manages the guest OS, applications, and data, while the provider secures the hypervisor, physical network, and data center. A real-world scenario: if a breach occurs due to an unpatched guest OS, the matrix proves the customer is liable, not the provider, which is critical for audit evidence and compliance validation.
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 security team runs a vulnerability scan on a web application and discovers an unpatched SQL injection flaw. The team prioritises remediation by CVSS score — critical flaws are patched within 24 hours, high within 7 days. Questions like this test whether you understand vulnerability management processes, scanning tools, and remediation prioritisation.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Legal, Risk, and Compliance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CCSP question test?
Legal, Risk, and Compliance — This question tests Legal, Risk, and Compliance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Cloud Provider Responsibility Matrix — PCI DSS Appendix A3 requires cloud customers and providers to clearly define and document their respective security responsibilities for the cardholder data environment (CDE). The Cloud Provider Responsibility Matrix (often called a Shared Responsibility Matrix) is the critical document that delineates which party is responsible for each security control, such as firewall management, patch management, and access controls, ensuring compliance with PCI DSS requirements.
What should I do if I get this CCSP 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
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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.
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