CCSP Cloud Concepts, Architecture, and Design Practice Question
A cloud security architect is evaluating a public cloud provider for a new workload that will process regulated data. The architect must document which security responsibilities remain with the cloud customer under the shared responsibility model. Which TWO of the following are customer responsibilities in a public cloud IaaS deployment? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that because the provider owns the cloud, it also owns every layer above the hypervisor, including guest OS patching and customer IAM policies.
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
✓
Managing guest operating system patches and updates
In public cloud IaaS, the provider secures facilities, hardware, and the virtualization platform, while the customer secures the guest operating system and its own identity and access management configurations. Guest OS patching and IAM policy management are therefore customer responsibilities, whereas physical facilities, hypervisor maintenance, and physical network redundancy remain with the provider.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Managing guest operating system patches and updates
Why this is correct
In IaaS, the customer is responsible for the guest operating system, including patching, hardening, and updates. The provider secures the virtualization layer and physical infrastructure, but the customer must maintain the OS inside its virtual machines. This responsibility is a core part of the shared responsibility model for IaaS and must be documented accordingly.
- ✗
Maintaining the provider's hypervisor and virtualization platform
Why it's wrong here
The hypervisor and virtualization platform are managed by the cloud provider in a public cloud IaaS offering. The customer cannot patch or configure the underlying hypervisor, and attempting to do so would violate the provider's control boundaries. This responsibility remains with the provider, not the customer, under the shared responsibility model.
- ✗
Ensuring the physical network backbone between data centers is redundant
Why it's wrong here
Redundancy of the provider's physical network backbone is a provider responsibility in a public cloud IaaS deployment. The customer may design for availability using multiple zones or regions, but it does not own or maintain the physical backbone. Assigning this to the customer would misstate the division of responsibilities.
- ✗
Securing the physical facilities that house the servers
Why it's wrong here
Physical security of data centers, including facilities, power, and hardware, is the responsibility of the cloud provider in a public cloud IaaS deployment. The customer does not control or secure the provider's physical sites, so this is not a customer responsibility. Misassigning this to the customer would overstate the customer's scope and understate the provider's obligations.
- ✓
Configuring identity and access management policies for cloud resources
Why this is correct
The customer defines and manages its own identity and access management policies, including users, roles, permissions, and federated access. While the provider secures the IAM service itself, the customer controls who can access its resources and what actions they can perform. This is a customer responsibility and a critical control for protecting regulated data.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
This CCSP question is part of Courseiva's 934-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.