mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
CCSP Practice Question: Migrating to the cloud and must comply with the…
A company is migrating to the cloud and must comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). They plan to store electronic protected health information (ePHI) in a cloud database. Which of the following is a mandatory requirement for the cloud service agreement?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between mandatory (required) and addressable (optional but must be documented if not implemented) specifications under HIPAA, leading candidates to incorrectly select encryption or testing frequency as mandatory requirements.
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
✓
The CSP must sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA).
Under HIPAA, a covered entity or business associate must have a written Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with any cloud service provider (CSP) that creates, receives, maintains, or transmits electronic protected health information (ePHI) on their behalf. The BAA is a mandatory contractual requirement that establishes the CSP's permitted uses and disclosures of ePHI, as well as its obligations to safeguard the data. Without a signed BAA, the CSP cannot lawfully handle ePHI, making this the only option that is a direct regulatory mandate under HIPAA.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The CSP must store data in a specific geographic location.
Why it's wrong here
HIPAA does not mandate geographic storage locations.
- ✗
The CSP must perform quarterly penetration tests.
Why it's wrong here
HIPAA does not specify frequency of penetration tests.
- ✗
The CSP must encrypt all data at rest using AES-256.
Why it's wrong here
Encryption is an addressable implementation specification, not a mandatory requirement.
- ✓
The CSP must sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA).
Why this is correct
A BAA is required to ensure the CSP safeguards ePHI.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 964 original CCSP practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.