CCSP Cloud Application Security Practice Question
Which TWO of the following are considered best practices for securing containerized applications in a cloud environment?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the misconception that SSH or debugging tools are necessary for container management, when in fact they violate the immutable and ephemeral principles of container security; the trap is that candidates confuse traditional server administration with cloud-native container operations.
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
✓
Run containers with a non-root user.
Running containers with a non-root user is a fundamental security best practice because it limits the potential damage from a container breakout. By default, Docker containers run as root, which means if an attacker compromises the container, they have root privileges on the host kernel. Using the USER directive in a Dockerfile or specifying a non-root user at runtime reduces the attack surface and enforces the principle of least privilege.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Run containers with a non-root user.
Why this is correct
Limits potential damage if container is compromised.
- ✗
Enable SSH inside the container for remote administration.
Why it's wrong here
SSH in containers is discouraged; use orchestration tools.
- ✗
Use the 'latest' tag for base images to get the newest features.
Why it's wrong here
'Latest' may introduce unplanned changes and vulnerabilities.
- ✗
Include debugging tools inside the container for troubleshooting.
Why it's wrong here
Increases attack surface; tools should be excluded from production images.
- ✓
Use a read-only filesystem for the container.
Why this is correct
Prevents malicious modification of files.
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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.