Cloud-Security-Engineer Cloud Workload Protection Practice Question
A Linux host running a Prisma Cloud Defender experiences high CPU usage originating from the defender process during a scheduled container image scan. How can an administrator mitigate this impact on production workloads?
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
✓
Adjust the CPU and memory resource limits on the Defender daemonset deployment manifest and configure scan throttling in the Prisma Cloud Console.
Administrators can tune scan performance in the Prisma Cloud Console by adjusting resource limits, concurrency, or scheduling settings for defenders.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Switch the Defender from privileged mode to unprivileged mode using rootless containers.
Why it's wrong here
Defenders require privileged capabilities to inspect host system namespaces and running containers.
- ✓
Adjust the CPU and memory resource limits on the Defender daemonset deployment manifest and configure scan throttling in the Prisma Cloud Console.
Why this is correct
Resource limits in Kubernetes and scanner concurrency settings prevent defenders from consuming excessive host CPU.
- ✗
Disable vulnerability scanning entirely and rely solely on compliance checks for host filesystems.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling vulnerability scanning creates a severe security blind spot.
- ✗
Restart the defender pod every 10 minutes using an external cron job.
Why it's wrong here
Restarting frequently disrupts scans and causes unnecessary resource spikes.
About these practice questions
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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 Palo Alto Networks exam blueprint
This Cloud-Security-Engineer practice question is part of Courseiva's free Palo Alto Networks 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 Cloud-Security-Engineer exam.