This CCSP practice question tests your understanding of legal, risk and compliance. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 defense contractor uses a cloud provider that is FedRAMP authorized at the Moderate impact level. The contractor's contract requires compliance with DFARS 252.204-7012, which mandates safeguarding covered defense information (CDI) and reporting cyber incidents. The contractor's security team wants to ensure the cloud provider's security controls are adequate. The provider offers a FedRAMP package that includes a System Security Plan (SSP) and a Security Assessment Report (SAR). The contractor's legal department has determined that if the provider is FedRAMP authorized, the audit requirements are satisfied. What is the most efficient way to verify compliance?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use the FedRAMP authorization letter as evidence without further audit.
The FedRAMP authorization letter is the most efficient verification because FedRAMP Moderate authorization is explicitly recognized by the DoD as meeting the security control baseline for DFARS 252.204-7012. The legal department has already determined that FedRAMP authorization satisfies audit requirements, so no additional analysis of the SSP/SAR or third-party testing is needed. Using the authorization letter alone avoids redundant effort while still providing auditable evidence of compliance.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Use the FedRAMP authorization letter as evidence without further audit.
Why this is correct
This aligns with the legal department's determination and is efficient.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Request the provider's SSP and SAR and compare against DFARS requirements.
Why it's wrong here
While informative, it is not required; FedRAMP authorization already covers DFARS requirements.
✗
Engage a third-party auditing firm to assess the provider.
Why it's wrong here
Costly and redundant; FedRAMP authorization provides sufficient assurance.
✗
Perform an independent penetration test on the provider's infrastructure.
Why it's wrong here
Unnecessary given FedRAMP authorization; duplicates effort and may violate terms.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the misconception that you must independently verify cloud provider controls (e.g., by reviewing SSP/SAR or conducting your own tests) even when a recognized certification like FedRAMP already satisfies the compliance requirement, leading candidates to over-audit and waste resources.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
FedRAMP Moderate authorization maps directly to NIST SP 800-53 control baselines, which DFARS 252.204-7012 incorporates by reference for protecting covered defense information (CDI). The FedRAMP Joint Authorization Board (JAB) or agency authorizing official issues the authorization letter after a rigorous third-party assessment organization (3PAO) evaluation, including penetration testing and continuous monitoring. In practice, the DoD Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide (SRG) explicitly accepts FedRAMP Moderate as meeting the security requirements for CDI, so the authorization letter serves as the single authoritative artifact for audit.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Legal, Risk and Compliance — This question tests Legal, Risk and Compliance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use the FedRAMP authorization letter as evidence without further audit. — The FedRAMP authorization letter is the most efficient verification because FedRAMP Moderate authorization is explicitly recognized by the DoD as meeting the security control baseline for DFARS 252.204-7012. The legal department has already determined that FedRAMP authorization satisfies audit requirements, so no additional analysis of the SSP/SAR or third-party testing is needed. Using the authorization letter alone avoids redundant effort while still providing auditable evidence of compliance.
What should I do if I get this CCSP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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