CCSP Cloud Data Security Practice Question
An organization uses cloud object storage with versioning enabled. After a ransomware attack, they discover that many objects were encrypted by the attacker. How does versioning help in this scenario?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is confusing versioning with replication or immutability, or assuming versioning prevents deletion; the exam tests that versioning enables restoration of previous versions.
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
✓
It allows restoration of the previous unencrypted version of each object
Object versioning retains multiple versions of an object, so if a current version is encrypted by ransomware, the previous unencrypted version can be restored. This provides a recovery mechanism without paying a ransom. Versioning is a key data protection feature in cloud object storage.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
It allows restoration of the previous unencrypted version of each object
Why this is correct
Versioning retains prior copies of an object rather than overwriting them, so the attacker's encrypted write becomes a new version while the original unencrypted version remains intact. The analyst can restore that earlier version, recovering the data without paying a ransom.
- ✗
It replicates objects to a different region for disaster recovery
Why it's wrong here
Replication copies objects to a second region for availability and disaster recovery; it neither retains prior versions nor restores pre-attack content, so encrypted objects simply propagate. It is tempting because versioning and replication are often configured together, and replication would be correct where regional durability or low-latency access is the goal.
- ✗
It prevents any object from being overwritten or deleted
Why it's wrong here
Versioning retains prior versions but does not block overwrites or deletes; an attacker can still write a new encrypted version or delete objects, leaving recovery dependent on retained versions. It is tempting because versioning is a common ransomware mitigation, and it would be correct where accidental overwrite recovery, not deletion prevention, is required.
- ✗
It automatically encrypts all objects with customer-managed keys
Why it's wrong here
Versioning stores multiple object versions; it does not perform encryption or manage keys, so it cannot decrypt attacker-encrypted content. It is tempting because encryption and versioning are both storage security controls, and customer-managed keys would be correct where the requirement is control over data-at-rest encryption rather than version recovery.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISC2 exam blueprint
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.