CCSP Cloud Application Security Practice Question
An organization uses infrastructure as code (IaC) to deploy cloud resources. The security team wants to prevent misconfigurations such as open security groups from being deployed. Which two practices should be integrated into the IaC pipeline? (Select TWO)
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between operational controls (like manual reviews or console access) and automated pipeline controls (like policy-as-code and scanning), expecting candidates to recognize that only automated, integrated checks can prevent misconfigurations at the code level before deployment.
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
✓
Implement policy-as-code to enforce security rules
Policy-as-code (D) allows security rules to be defined in a machine-readable format (e.g., using Open Policy Agent or HashiCorp Sentinel) and automatically evaluated during the IaC pipeline, preventing non-compliant configurations from being deployed. Automated security scanning tools (E) analyze IaC templates (e.g., Terraform, CloudFormation) for known misconfigurations, such as overly permissive security group rules, before they reach production. Together, these practices enforce security guardrails early in the development lifecycle.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Limit access to the cloud management console
Why it's wrong here
Does not prevent misconfigurations in IaC deployments.
- ✗
Perform manual code reviews for every change
Why it's wrong here
Manual reviews are slow and can miss issues; automation is preferred.
- ✗
Segment the network using security groups
Why it's wrong here
Network segmentation is a runtime control, not part of IaC pipeline.
- ✓
Implement policy-as-code to enforce security rules
Why this is correct
Policy-as-code can block non-compliant templates from being applied.
- ✓
Use automated security scanning tools for IaC templates
Why this is correct
Tools like Checkov detect misconfigurations before deployment.
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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.