CCSP Legal, Risk, and Compliance Practice Question
A cloud provider discovers a security incident affecting a customer's personal data stored in its platform. The customer acts as the data controller under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Which obligation does the provider have regarding notification of this breach?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming the processor must notify the supervisory authority or data subjects directly, when GDPR places those duties on the controller.
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
✓
Notify the customer without undue delay after becoming aware of the personal data breach.
GDPR splits breach notification duties: processors must notify controllers without undue delay after becoming aware of a personal data breach, while controllers assess risk and handle authority and data subject notifications. The cloud provider, acting as processor, therefore owes prompt notice to its customer, enabling the customer to meet the 72-hour authority deadline if required.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Notify affected data subjects directly, because the provider holds the data and knows which records were exposed.
Why it's wrong here
Communication to data subjects under Article 34 is the controller's responsibility, typically after assessing high risk. A processor generally lacks the full context of processing purposes and data subject relationships. Direct processor-to-data-subject notification would bypass the controller and misstate the GDPR allocation of duties.
- ✓
Notify the customer without undue delay after becoming aware of the personal data breach.
Why this is correct
Under GDPR Article 33(2), a processor must notify the controller without undue delay after becoming aware of a personal data breach. The controller then decides whether to notify the supervisory authority within 72 hours. The processor does not notify the authority or data subjects directly in this scenario; its duty runs to the controller.
- ✗
Notify the relevant supervisory authority within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach.
Why it's wrong here
The 72-hour notification duty to the supervisory authority belongs to the controller under Article 33(1), not the processor. A processor notifies the controller, who then assesses the breach and decides whether authority notification is required. Assigning this duty to the processor misplaces the regulatory obligation.
- ✗
Publish a public incident report within 24 hours and wait for the customer to respond.
Why it's wrong here
GDPR imposes no 24-hour public disclosure requirement on processors. The processor's Article 33(2) duty is prompt notification to the controller, not public reporting. A public report could itself create additional risk and does not substitute for the contractual and regulatory obligation owed to the controller.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISC2 exam blueprint
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.