SSCP Systems and Application Security Practice Question
A cloud security team wants to continuously monitor for misconfigured cloud resources that could expose data. Which tool category is specifically designed for this purpose?
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
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Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM)
CSPM (Cloud Security Posture Management) tools detect misconfigurations like open storage buckets or overly permissive IAM roles. CWPP focuses on runtime workload protection. WAF protects web apps. IAM manages identities, not configuration monitoring.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Cloud Workload Protection Platform (CWPP)
Why it's wrong here
CWPP secures running workloads — hosts, containers and serverless — through agent-based runtime protection, not posture scanning of cloud resource configurations. CWPP is correct when defending active compute workloads against malware or exploitation, rather than detecting misconfigured resources at rest.
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Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Why it's wrong here
IAM governs authentication, authorisation and role assignments; it cannot detect configuration drift such as public storage buckets or open security groups. Continuous misconfiguration scanning requires a Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) tool, which is the correct category here. IAM would be chosen when the requirement is enforcing least-privilege access.
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Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM)
Why this is correct
Cloud Security Posture Management continuously scans cloud infrastructure for misconfigurations, comparing deployed resource settings against security baselines and compliance frameworks. It directly satisfies the stem's requirement for ongoing detection of exposed data risks, unlike CWPP (workload protection) or CASB (access control), which address different layers.
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Web Application Firewall (WAF)
Why it's wrong here
A WAF inspects inbound HTTP traffic to block application-layer attacks; it does not enumerate cloud resource configurations for misconfiguration. WAF is the right control when protecting a public web application from injection or cross-site scripting, not for continuous posture monitoring across cloud accounts.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SSCP 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 SSCP exam.