This CCSP practice question tests your understanding of cloud platform and infrastructure security. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 security team is auditing a cloud environment and needs to ensure compliance with logging requirements. Which TWO actions are essential? (Choose two.)
Store logs in a publicly accessible bucket.
Why wrong: Public access compromises log confidentiality.
Allow users to modify logs.
Why wrong: Modification defeats log integrity.
Encrypt logs at rest.
Encryption protects log data at rest.
Enable CloudTrail (or equivalent) for all regions.
Global logging captures all API activity.
Delete logs after 30 days.
Why wrong: Deletion may violate retention policies.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Encrypt logs at rest.
Encrypting logs at rest (Option C) is essential to protect sensitive audit data from unauthorized access if the storage medium is compromised. Cloud providers like AWS offer server-side encryption (SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS) for log buckets, ensuring compliance with standards such as SOC 2, PCI DSS, and ISO 27001. Without encryption, logs could be read by anyone with physical or administrative access to the storage infrastructure.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Store logs in a publicly accessible bucket.
Why it's wrong here
Public access compromises log confidentiality.
Allow users to modify logs.
Why it's wrong here
Modification defeats log integrity.
Encrypt logs at rest.
Why this is correct
Encryption protects log data at rest.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Enable CloudTrail (or equivalent) for all regions.
Why this is correct
Global logging captures all API activity.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Delete logs after 30 days.
Why it's wrong here
Deletion may violate retention policies.
Common exam traps
ISC2 often tests the misconception that deleting logs after a short period is a security best practice, but the trap is that compliance mandates specific retention durations, and premature deletion can lead to audit failures.
Detailed technical explanation
CloudTrail (or equivalent) delivers log files to an S3 bucket, where encryption at rest can be enforced via bucket policies using the 'aws:SecureTransport' condition and SSE-KMS with a customer-managed key. A common subtlety is that enabling CloudTrail for all regions ensures capture of global service events (e.g., IAM changes) that are otherwise missed if only specific regions are monitored. In a real-world scenario, a misconfigured bucket policy that allows public access could lead to a data breach, as seen in the 2017 Accenture AWS S3 exposure.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security — This question tests Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Encrypt logs at rest. — Encrypting logs at rest (Option C) is essential to protect sensitive audit data from unauthorized access if the storage medium is compromised. Cloud providers like AWS offer server-side encryption (SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS) for log buckets, ensuring compliance with standards such as SOC 2, PCI DSS, and ISO 27001. Without encryption, logs could be read by anyone with physical or administrative access to the storage infrastructure.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 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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