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CCSP Implementing a hybrid cloud architecture Practice Question
A company is implementing a hybrid cloud architecture. Which two components are essential for establishing a secure connection between on-premises and cloud environments? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse security controls (IAM, CASB, WAF) with network connectivity components, mistakenly thinking that any security tool is essential for hybrid cloud connectivity, when in fact only dedicated circuits and VPN gateways provide the actual secure link between environments.
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
✓
Direct connect or dedicated interconnect
Option A (Direct connect or dedicated interconnect) is correct because a dedicated private circuit such as AWS Direct Connect or Azure ExpressRoute bypasses the public internet, providing a consistent, low-latency, and secure private link between the on-premises data center and the cloud provider's network. Option E (VPN gateway) is correct because it establishes an encrypted IPsec/IKE tunnel over the public internet between the on-premises VPN device and the cloud VPN gateway, which is the standard mechanism for secure hybrid connectivity. Together these are the two essential transport components for a secure on-premises-to-cloud connection. Option B (IAM) is not a connectivity component; it governs authentication and authorization of identities and does not establish the network link. Option C (CASB) is a policy enforcement and visibility layer for cloud service usage, not a site-to-site transport mechanism. Option D (WAF) protects web applications from HTTP-layer attacks and does not provide the hybrid network connection.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Direct connect or dedicated interconnect
Why this is correct
A dedicated interconnect bypasses the public internet, giving private, predictable bandwidth between on-premises and cloud. For a hybrid architecture demanding a secure connection, this satisfies the isolation and throughput constraint that shared internet paths cannot guarantee.
- ✗
Identity and access management (IAM)
Why it's wrong here
IAM authenticates users and authorises API actions; it does not carry on-premises traffic to the cloud, so it cannot form the connection itself. It is tempting because identity controls are essential to hybrid security, and would be right when the requirement is access governance rather than transport.
- ✗
Cloud access security broker (CASB)
Why it's wrong here
A CASB brokers access between users and cloud services, enforcing policy and visibility; it does not provide the encrypted tunnel between on-premises and cloud networks that the stem requires. It would be correct when governing sanctioned and unsanctioned SaaS usage, shadow IT discovery or data-loss prevention.
- ✗
Web application firewall (WAF)
Why it's wrong here
A WAF inspects HTTP/S traffic to protect web applications from layer 7 attacks; it cannot establish the site-to-site encrypted connectivity between on-premises and cloud environments. It would be correct when defending a public-facing web application against injection, cross-site scripting or bot traffic.
- ✓
Virtual private network (VPN) gateway
Why this is correct
A VPN gateway encrypts traffic over the public internet using IPsec or TLS tunnels, satisfying the secure connectivity requirement for hybrid cloud. It provides the encrypted path between on-premises networks and cloud environments without dedicated circuits.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
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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.