CCSP Cloud Security Operations Practice Question
A security team is implementing vulnerability management in a hybrid cloud environment. They need to scan virtual machines without installing an agent. Which approach is most suitable?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse 'agentless scanning' with 'agent-based scanning' or assume that container image scanning applies to VMs, but ISC2 tests the specific requirement of scanning VMs without installing an agent, which only agentless cloud API-based scanning satisfies.
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
✓
Agentless scanning using cloud APIs
Agentless scanning using cloud APIs (Option B) is the correct approach because it allows the security team to scan virtual machines without installing any software on the VMs themselves. This method leverages cloud provider APIs (e.g., AWS EC2 DescribeInstances, Azure VM REST APIs) to query the hypervisor or management plane for VM configurations, patch levels, and vulnerabilities, making it ideal for hybrid cloud environments where agent deployment may be impractical or restricted.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Deploying a third-party vulnerability scanner on each VM
Why it's wrong here
This is agent-based, not agentless.
- ✓
Agentless scanning using cloud APIs
Why this is correct
Agentless scanning leverages cloud provider APIs to assess VM vulnerabilities.
- ✗
Agent-based scanning with AWS Inspector
Why it's wrong here
AWS Inspector requires an agent for network-based scans (though it also has agentless for OS-level).
- ✗
Using container image scanning in registry
Why it's wrong here
This is for containers, not VMs.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every CCSP question from scratch — 964 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. 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.