CCSP Cloud Application Security Practice Question
A cloud security architect is designing a CI/CD pipeline for a serverless application using AWS Lambda. The application processes sensitive user data and requires encryption at rest and in transit. Which of the following is the BEST approach to securely manage database credentials used by the Lambda function?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store (for configuration) and AWS Secrets Manager (for secrets), trapping candidates who think encryption alone is sufficient without considering rotation and lifecycle management.
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
✓
Use AWS Secrets Manager to store the credentials and retrieve them at runtime with least-privilege IAM roles.
AWS Secrets Manager is the best choice because it is purpose-built for securely storing, rotating, and retrieving secrets such as database credentials. It integrates natively with AWS Lambda via the Secrets Manager API, allowing the function to fetch credentials at runtime using a least-privilege IAM role. This approach avoids embedding secrets in code or configuration and supports automatic rotation, which is critical for compliance with encryption and access control requirements.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Store the credentials in AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store with a SecureString parameter.
Why it's wrong here
Parameter Store does not automatically rotate secrets; manual rotation is error-prone.
- ✓
Use AWS Secrets Manager to store the credentials and retrieve them at runtime with least-privilege IAM roles.
Why this is correct
Secrets Manager provides secure storage, automatic rotation, and fine-grained access control via IAM.
- ✗
Store the credentials as encrypted environment variables in the Lambda function configuration.
Why it's wrong here
Environment variables can be viewed in the Lambda console or by anyone with access to the function configuration.
- ✗
Hardcode the credentials in the Lambda function code and encrypt the deployment package.
Why it's wrong here
Hardcoding credentials is a security anti-pattern and encrypted packages can still be decrypted by authorized users.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
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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.