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CCSP Practice Question: A healthcare organization has deployed a…
A healthcare organization has deployed a cloud-based application that handles protected health information (PHI). The application runs on virtual machines in a virtual private cloud (VPC). The security team has implemented security groups to control traffic to the VMs. Recently, an external penetration test revealed that a web server VM is accessible from the internet on port 22 (SSH) from any IP address (0.0.0.0/0). The security team also discovered that the SSH key pair used for the web server was created with a weak algorithm (1024-bit RSA). The team needs to remediate these issues without causing downtime for the application. Additionally, the application logs must be sent to a centralized logging solution that is encrypted in transit and at rest. Which combination of actions should the security team take?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between security by obscurity (e.g., changing ports) and actual security controls (e.g., restricting IPs and using strong keys), leading candidates to pick options that seem quick but fail compliance 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
✓
Restrict inbound SSH access to only a bastion host's IP address, generate a new 2048-bit RSA key pair, configure the application to send logs via TLS to a centralized logging service, and enable server-side encryption for the logging bucket.
It addresses both critical vulnerabilities without downtime: restricting SSH to a bastion host's IP eliminates internet-wide exposure, and generating a new 2048-bit RSA key pair replaces the weak 1024-bit key. For logging, TLS ensures encryption in transit, and server-side encryption for the logging bucket ensures encryption at rest, meeting compliance requirements for PHI.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Restrict inbound SSH access to only a bastion host's IP address, generate a new 2048-bit RSA key pair, configure the application to send logs via TLS to a centralized logging service, and enable server-side encryption for the logging bucket.
Why this is correct
This fully addresses both vulnerabilities and logging requirements.
- ✗
Implement a VPN connection for all administrative access, keep the existing key pair, and use a third-party logging tool with TLS.
Why it's wrong here
VPN does not fix the weak key, and the existing key pair remains vulnerable.
- ✗
Change the SSH port to a non-standard port, keep the existing key pair, and enable logging to a cloud storage bucket without encryption.
Why it's wrong here
Changing port is not a security fix, and weak key remains; unencrypted logs are not compliant.
- ✗
Disable SSH access entirely and use a serial console for administration, keep the existing key pair, and send logs via plaintext syslog to a logging server.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling SSH is impractical, and plaintext logs are insecure.
Quick reference
Asymmetric Encryption Algorithm Comparison
| Algorithm | Key Exchange | Signatures | Equivalent Security Key | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSA-3072 | Yes | Yes | 128-bit | Widely deployed; slow for bulk data |
| ECDSA P-256 | No | Yes | 128-bit | Fast signatures; standard TLS certs |
| ECDH / ECDHE | Yes | No | 128-bit | Perfect forward secrecy in TLS 1.3 |
| DH / DHE | Yes | No | 128-bit (3072-bit key) | Replaced by ECDHE in modern TLS |
| Ed25519 | No | Yes | ~128-bit | SSH keys, modern PKI |
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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.