ISC Systems Security Engineering Foundations Practice Question
Which TWO architectural patterns are considered best practices for securing cloud-native applications?
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
✓
Zero-trust network architecture
Cloud security relies on zero-trust and defense-in-depth principles implemented through infrastructure-as-code and micro-segmentation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Hardcoded credentials in application code
Why it's wrong here
Hardcoded credentials are a major vulnerability.
- ✓
Zero-trust network architecture
Why this is correct
Zero-trust assumes no network is inherently safe.
- ✗
Public access to all S3 buckets
Why it's wrong here
This is a significant security risk.
- ✗
Monolithic application architecture
Why it's wrong here
Monoliths are difficult to secure in cloud environments due to lack of segmentation.
- ✓
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) with security scanning
Why this is correct
IaC allows security policies to be codified and validated before deployment.
About these practice questions
One of 209 original ISC practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed August 2026 · checked against the official (ISC)² exam blueprint
This ISC practice question is part of Courseiva's free (ISC)² 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 ISC exam.