CCSK Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSKv5.0) Questions and Answers

Serverless functions are designed to run in isolated, ephemeral environments, meaning that each execution is independent and temporary. These functions are typically event-driven and executed on-demand, without the need for pre-allocated server resources. Once the function finishes executing, the environment is discarded, making it highly efficient and scalable. This architecture abstracts away infrastructure management, allowing developers to focus on the code itself.

A Web Application Firewall (WAF) is primarily responsible for filtering and monitoring HTTP/S traffic to and from a web application. It is designed to protect web applications by filtering and monitoring traffic for malicious requests, such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and other common application-layer attacks. A WAF helps secure web applications by analyzing the HTTP/S traffic and blocking any harmful requests before they reach the application.

Anti-virus Software is used to detect and remove malicious software on endpoints and devices but is not designed to filter HTTP/S traffic specifically for web applications. Load Balancer is used to distribute network traffic across multiple servers to ensure performance and reliability, but it does not focus on security filtering. Intrusion Detection System (IDS) monitors network traffic for suspicious activity but operates at a different level of the network stack and is not focused solely on web application traffic.

Control objectives are specific goals or outcomes designed to minimize risk and maintain a secure environment. They are part of a broader governance framework and provide clear, measurable targets that organizations aim to achieve in order to meet security, compliance, and operational goals. Control objectives help guide the implementation of security measures and ensure the organization’s security posture aligns with its risk management strategy.

Implementation guidance provides detailed instructions on how to implement controls but does not set specific goals. Policies define the high-level principles and rules that guide behavior and decision-making, but they are more general than control objectives. Control specifications typically define how specific controls are implemented but do not establish the overarching goals that guide risk management.

Cloud telemetry provides detailed insights and visibility into security events and system behaviors in cloud environments, which helps detect and respond to threats. Reference: [Security Guidance v5, Domain 6 - Security Monitoring]

The primary function ofData Encryption Keys (DEK)in cloud security is toencrypt application data. DEKs are used to encrypt and decrypt specific data objects, such as files or database records, ensuring data confidentiality in cloud environments.

From theCCSK v5.0 Study Guide, Domain 10 (Data Security and Encryption), Section 10.3:

“Data Encryption Keys (DEKs) are used to encrypt and decrypt application data in cloud environments. DEKs are typically managed by key management services and applied to specific data objects to ensure confidentiality and protect against unauthorized access.”

Option B (To encrypt application data) is the correct answer.

Option A (Increase speed) is incorrect because encryption does not enhance performance.

Option C (Manage user access control) is incorrect because DEKs are for encryption, not access control.

Option D (Primary key for all resources) is incorrect because DEKs are specific to data encryption, not resource management.

One of the biggest challenges incloud security risk assessmentisthe lack of transparencyregardingcloud provider operations and security controls.

Key Issues with Limited Visibility:

Cloud providers manage infrastructure at a global scale:

Customerscannot directly inspectsecurity implementations.

Rely onthird-party attestationslikeSOC 2, ISO 27001, CSA STARinstead of direct assessments.

Multi-tenancy complexities:

Cloud customersshare infrastructurewith other tenants.

Data isolation mechanisms (e.g., virtual private clouds, encryption)must be trustedwithout direct verification.

Regulatory compliance challenges:

Organizations handling sensitive data (e.g., healthcare, finance)requirestrict controls.

Cloud providers may not offer sufficient audit logsor control overdata residency and processing.

Incident response limitations:

In traditional IT, organizations controllog access, forensic analysis, and recovery.

In the cloud,incident investigation depends on the provider’s logging and notification practices.

Thisvisibility issueis extensively covered in:

CCSK v5 - Security Guidance v4.0, Domain 4 (Compliance and Audit Management)

ENISA’s Cloud Computing Risk Assessment (Limited visibility into cloud provider security policies)​

AI workloads often require isolation and strict access controls to prevent unauthorized access and safeguard sensitive data involved in machine learning processes. Reference: [CCSK Study Guide, Domain 8 - AI Workload Security]

Scalability is a fundamental aspect of cloud architecture that allows a system to grow in capacity to meet increased workload demands effectively. Reference: [Security Guidance v5, Domain 1 - Cloud Characteristics]

Compliance in cybersecurity involves following internal policies, as well as external regulations, standards, and best practices, to ensure legal and security requirements are met. Reference: [CCSK v5 Curriculum, Domain 3 - Compliance]

DevOps aims to improve collaboration and integration between development and operations teams, streamlining delivery and enhancing software quality. Reference: [CCSK Study Guide, Domain 10 - DevOps & DevSecOps]

Access policies in cybersecurity are critical for managing and controlling how users and devices access resources within a network or cloud environment. These policies are primarily concerned with defining permissions and rules that govern access to resources. They help organizations implement role-based access control (RBAC) or attribute-based access control (ABAC), which specify who can access what resources and under what conditions.

In the context of cloud computing, access policies are typically enforced using Identity and Access Management (IAM) tools and services, which allow administrators to define and manage the permissions associated with user identities. Access policies include various rules that specify allowed or denied actions based on roles, user attributes, device types, or network conditions.

For example, in the AWS environment, access policies are written in JSON and define permissions for services like EC2, S3, or RDS. Similarly, Azure uses Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to manage resource access policies.

Access policies are not concerned with real-time monitoring (option A), user authentication methods (option B), or encryption protocols (option C). Instead, they explicitly focus on defining access permissions and controlling how resources are utilized.

In the initial stage of implementing centralized identity management, the primary focus of cybersecurity measures is to integrate identity management (such as Single Sign-On (SSO), Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), and user directories) and secure devices that interact with the identity management system. This ensures that only authorized users and devices can access the network and resources, helping to establish a strong foundation for secure and efficient identity and access management.

Developing incident response plans is important but typically comes after establishing core security controls like identity management. Implementing advanced threat detection systems is a later stage security measure, after foundational controls like identity management are in place. Deploying network segmentation is a useful security strategy, but it is not the primary focus in the early stages of centralized identity management.

Multi-region resiliency in cloud environments is primarily used to improve fault tolerance by deploying applications and services across multiple geographical regions. This strategy ensures that if one region experiences an outage or failure, the application or service can failover to another region, maintaining availability and minimizing downtime. Multi-region deployments help organizations ensure business continuity, disaster recovery, and high availability.

Increasing the number of users in each region is not the main purpose of multi-region resiliency. While multi-region deployment can help with compliance, the primary goal is fault tolerance and availability, not compliance with data laws. While multi-region deployment may offer some efficiency benefits, the main purpose is not cost reduction; it's about ensuring reliability and availability.

Misconfiguration is one of the most prevalent risks in serverless and container-based environments. Given the complex nature of container orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes), CI/CD pipelines, and ephemeral infrastructure, simple missteps—such as overly permissive roles or exposed ports—can lead to significant vulnerabilities.

These workloads require strict configuration management, automated scanning, and secure defaults to prevent breaches. Unlike traditional servers, containers and functions spin up and down rapidly, making traditional visibility tools insufficient.

This is discussed thoroughly inDomain 8: Virtualization and Containers, where the CCSK guidance identifies misconfiguration as a leading cause of cloud-native exploitation.

Cloud computing is adopted mainly for its cost-effectiveness and the ability to accelerate time-to-market, enhancing business agility. Reference: [Security Guidance v5, Domain 1 - Cloud Benefits]

The correct answer isD. Cloud systems automatically monitor resource usage and provide billing based on actual consumption.

Measured Service is one of theessential characteristics of cloud computingas defined by theNIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology). It implies that cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource usage by leveraging ametering capability. This capability tracks and reports resource consumption (such as CPU, storage, or bandwidth), which is used for billing, monitoring, and planning.

Key Characteristics:

Automatic Monitoring:Cloud platforms continuously track resource usage without manual intervention.

Billing Based on Usage:Customers are billed based on the actual consumption of resources (pay-as-you-go model).

Transparency:Users can view detailed usage reports to understand their resource utilization and associated costs.

Resource Optimization:Providers use these metrics to optimize resource allocation and improve efficiency.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

A. Fixed immutable set of measured services:This contradicts the concept of elasticity and resource pooling in cloud computing.

B. Elastic resources:While elasticity is a cloud characteristic, it does not directly define measured service.

C. Manual reporting:Measured service is aboutautomated, real-time monitoring and billing, not manual data gathering.

Real-World Example:

In AWS, services likeAmazon CloudWatchautomatically collect and provide usage metrics, and the AWS Billing Console shows the cost associated with each resource.

The Detection & Analysis phase of incident response involves the validation of alerts to reduce false positives and estimating the scope of the incident. During this phase, security teams assess whether the alerts indicate an actual incident, investigate the nature and severity of the threat, and determine the affected systems, data, and potential impact. This phase is critical for accurately identifying the scope of the issue and ensuring appropriate actions are taken in subsequent phases, such as containment and eradication.

The key characteristic that differentiates cloud networks from traditional networks is that cloud networks are often software-defined networks (SDNs). This means that network management, configuration, and provisioning in the cloud are handled through software, rather than relying on traditional hardware-based network components. SDNs allow for greater flexibility, scalability, and automation, enabling cloud providers to dynamically adjust resources to meet changing demands.

The division of security responsibilities changes according to the service model. In IaaS, CSCs handle more security responsibilities, while in SaaS, the CSP manages more of the security aspects. Reference: [Security Guidance v5, Domain 1 - Shared Responsibility Model][17†source].

The CSA STAR Registry provides transparency by listing security and privacy controls of CSPs, helping customers assess provider security. Reference: [CCSK Overview, STAR Registry]

Implementing these controls supports data governance and compliance by providing visibility into data handling and potential exposures. Reference: [Security Guidance v5, Domain 9 - Data Security]

In the context of server-side encryption handled by cloud providers, the data is encrypted after transmission to the cloud using either provider-managed keys or customer-managed keys. The cloud provider takes responsibility for encrypting the data when it is stored in the cloud, ensuring that the data at rest is protected.

Server-side encryption typically uses symmetric encryption for performance reasons, but this attribute is not what defines the encryption process. Also, server-side encryption focuses on protecting data once it's in the cloud, not before transmission. Encryption in transit is typically handled separately from server-side encryption and applies to data as it moves between the client and the cloud.

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is commonly used to provide secure, encrypted connections between on-premises data centers and cloud deployments, ensuring that data transmitted across the internet is protected from unauthorized access. VPNs help safeguard sensitive information byencrypting the communication channel, offering confidentiality and integrity for the data in transit.

VPNs are not necessarily more cost-effective than other options like dedicated private connections or direct connect services, especially when considering performance and reliability. While VPNs provide secure connections, they do not eliminate the need for third-party authentication services, which are still important for controlling access. VPNs typically offer lower bandwidth and higher latency compared to direct connection solutions, which are designed for higher-performance use cases.

Immutable infrastructure maintains static configurations after deployment, ensuring consistency and preventing unauthorized changes. Reference: [Security Guidance v5, Domain 8 - Cloud Workload Security]

The most effective way to identify security vulnerabilities in an application is to conduct automated and manual security testing throughout the development lifecycle. This approach ensures that security is continuously evaluated at every stage of development, rather than waiting until the end. Automated tools can help identify common vulnerabilities quickly, while manual testing allows for more in-depth analysis, including testing for complex, contextual security issues. This proactive and ongoing approach reduces the risk of vulnerabilities being overlooked and helps ensure that security is integrated into the application from the start.

Performing code reviews just prior to release is valuable, but it’s not comprehensive enough. Security testing should be done early and continuously, not just before release. Relying solely on secure coding practices is important but not sufficient. Even with secure coding practices, testing is essential to identify vulnerabilities. Waiting for a single penetration test after development is not effective because waiting until the end can allow many vulnerabilities to go unnoticed during development, leaving the application exposed.

In serverless computing models, the primary security concern is ensuring that secrets (such as API keys, database credentials, etc.) and configuration settings are handled securely. The principle of least privilege means that these secrets and configurations should only beaccessible by the minimum set of functions or services that truly need them, reducing the attack surface. Proper management of secrets and configurations ensures that unauthorized access or misuse is prevented.

Disabling console access completely or using privileged access management is important for securing any environment, but it is not specifically tied to serverless models. Validating the underlying container security is more relevant to containerized environments rather than serverless computing, which abstracts away infrastructure management. Placing serverless components behind application load balancers is useful for routing traffic but is not specifically critical for securing the serverless model itself. Managing secrets and access controls is a more direct concern for securing serverless environments.

Controlling traffic flows between networks is critical in a cybersecurity context toreduce the blast radius of attacks. By segmenting networks and implementing controls such as firewalls, organizations can limit the lateral movement of attackers, containing breaches and minimizing their impact.

From theCCSK v5.0 Study Guide, Domain 9 (Network Security), Section 9.2:

“Controlling traffic flows between networks is a fundamental cybersecurity practice to reduce the blast radius of attacks. Network segmentation and micro-segmentation limit an attacker’s ability to move laterally within the environment, containing breaches and protecting critical assets.”

Option B (To reduce the blast radius of attacks) is the correct answer.

Option A (To increase the speed of data transmission) is incorrect because traffic control focuses on security, not speed.

Option C (To simplify network architecture) is incorrect because segmentation may increase complexity.

Option D (To reduce the amount of data stored) is incorrect because traffic control does not directly affect data storage.

One of the primary risks associated with cloud storage services is unauthorized access due to misconfigured security settings. Cloud storage providers typically offer a range of configuration options for managing access, but if these settings are not properly configured (e.g., improper access control lists, missing encryption, or inadequate permissions), it can lead to unauthorized users gaining access to sensitive data. This is a common and significant risk in cloud environments, which is why securing and correctly configuring access controls is critical.

Serverless environments are vulnerable to misconfigurations, which can expose sensitive data and resources, making security configurations critical. Reference: [Security Guidance v5, Domain 8 - Cloud Workload Security][16†source].

Secrets management focuses on securely storing and managing sensitive information, such as API keys and passwords, to prevent unauthorized access. Reference: [Security Guidance v5, Domain 8 - Secrets Management]

PBAC enables highly specific access control based on multiple attributes, enhancing flexibility and security in cloud environments. Reference: [CCSK v5 Curriculum, Domain 5 - IAM][16†source].

IAM failures are a leading cause of cloud-native breaches, often due to misconfigurations or inadequate access control mechanisms. Reference: [Security Guidance v5, Domain 5 - IAM]

To reduce vulnerabilities in virtual machines (VMs) in a cloud environment, it is critical to use secure base images that are free from known vulnerabilities,ensure regular patching to fix any discovered security issues, and implement configuration management to ensure that VMs are properly configured according to security best practices. This combination of practices ensures that VMs are both secure from the start and remain secure over time as new vulnerabilities are discovered.

Disabling unnecessary VM services and using containers is a good security practice but does not directly address vulnerabilities in VMs specifically. Encryption and SBOM is important for securing data and understanding dependencies but does not specifically focus on reducing vulnerabilities in VMs. Network isolation and monitoring are key network security practices but do not directly address the security of the VMs themselves.

Cloud adoption transforms how incident response (IR) is conducted. Unlike traditional IT environments, cloud environments involveshared responsibility,provider collaboration, andremote orchestration. This shift requires security teams to adjust response strategies, tools, and governance to effectively detect, analyze, and remediate incidents.

Cloud-specific tools (e.g., CSP logs, API calls, auto-scaling environments) must be incorporated into IR plans. Coordination with cloud service providers is often necessary to access logs, enforce controls, or conduct forensics.

This transformation is outlined inDomain 9: Incident Response, which stresses that effective IR in the cloud must be pre-planned and adapted to each provider and cloud model.

A key benefit ofSoftware-Defined Networking (SDN)is that it allows networks to bedynamically configured and managed through software. SDN separates the control plane from the data plane, enabling centralized management and programmable network configurations, which improves flexibility and scalability in cloud environments.

From theCCSK v5.0 Study Guide, Domain 9 (Network Security), Section 9.3:

“Software-Defined Networking (SDN) enables dynamic configuration and management of networks through software, decoupling the control plane from the data plane. This allows organizations to programmatically adjust network policies and traffic flows, improving agility and scalability in cloud environments.”

Option C (SDN allows networks to be dynamically configured and managed through software) is the correct answer.

Option A (Hardware-based solution) is incorrect because SDN is software-based.

Option B (Eliminates physical devices) is incorrect because SDN still relies on physical infrastructure.

Option D (Focused on firewalls) is incorrect because SDN’s primary benefit is flexibility, not firewalls.

NIST defines cloud computing as on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable resources, aligning with the essential characteristics of cloud services. Reference: [Security Guidance v5, Domain 1 - Cloud Computing Models]

SLAs play a key role in cloud incident management as they define response expectations and support arrangements between CSPs and CSCs. Reference: [CCSK Study Guide, Domain 11 - Incident Response]

Identity management at the organizational level is a key aspect of cybersecurity because it ensures that only authorized users can access specific resources, systems, or data. By controlling and managing user identities, roles, and permissions, identity management helps enforce security policies, preventing unauthorized access and potential breaches. This is a fundamental practice in maintaining confidentiality, integrity, and availability within an organization.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) helps maintain consistency in security configurations through automation, reducing the likelihood of misconfigurations. Reference: [Security Guidance v5, Domain 7 - Infrastructure & Networking]

Encryption in object storage is used to secure stored data and protect it from unauthorized access, ensuring confidentiality. Reference: [Security Guidance v5, Domain 9 - Data Security]

Cloud customers are responsible for assessing the security and compliance of SaaS applications, ensuring these align with internal policies and regulations. Reference: [CCSK v5 Overview, Shared Responsibility Model]

The correct answer isB. Implementation of robust IAM and network security practices.

Ahybrid cloud environmentinvolves integrating private and public cloud infrastructures. This setup requires enhanced security practices to manage the complexity and diverse security requirements of both environments.

Key Aspects:

Identity and Access Management (IAM):Ensures secure authentication and authorization across both private and public clouds.

Network Security:Includes securing data in transit, implementing network segmentation, and protecting communication between cloud environments.

Unified Security Policies:Establishing consistent policies and access controls across both environments.

Visibility and Monitoring:Continuous monitoring of network traffic and access logs to detect potential threats.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

A. Encryption for data at rest:Important but not the most comprehensive security measure for hybrid environments.

C. Software updates and patch management:While essential, these practices alone do not address the complex challenges of a hybrid setup.

D. Multi-factor authentication only:MFA enhances authentication security but does not cover the broader security requirements of a hybrid cloud.

Real-World Context:

Organizations using services likeAWS Direct ConnectorAzure ExpressRouteto integrate on-premises environments with the public cloud must implement robust IAM and network security practices to maintain secure and compliant data flows.

Custom application-level encryption provides organizations with precise control overwhat is encryptedandwho manages the encryption keys. Unlike network-level encryption, this method allows sensitive fields (e.g., credit card numbers) to be encrypted before data even enters the storage or processing pipeline.

This approach enables compliance with strict data privacy laws and protects data from being decrypted by unauthorized actors—even cloud providers. Organizations can enforce key rotation policies and maintain exclusive key access.

This is detailed inDomain 11: Data Security and Encryption, which recommends application-level encryption for sensitive data protection, particularly in regulated industries.

Governance in cybersecurity is crucial because it provides the framework to ensure that security risks are adequately managed while still allowing the organization to adopt new technologies and innovations at a reasonable pace. Effective governance helps organizations balance the need for security controls with the need for agility and speed in adopting new solutions. It ensures that risks are identified, assessed, and mitigated without unnecessarily slowing down progress or stifling innovation.

Without governance, there is a risk that security concerns may be overlooked, or too many restrictions might be placed on adoption, leading to delays or failure to innovate. Proper governance strikes the right balance between security and agility.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC)facilitates rapid recovery in cybersecurity by enablingautomated and consistent deployment of recovery environments. IaC allows organizations to define infrastructure configurations as code, which can be versioned, tested, and deployed quickly to rebuild environments after an incident, ensuring consistency and reducing recovery time.

From theCCSK v5.0 Study Guide, Domain 11 (Incident Response and Recovery), Section 11.4:

“Infrastructure as Code (IaC) enhances rapid recovery by allowing organizations to automate the deployment of infrastructure and applications. By defining recovery environments as code, organizations can quickly and consistently rebuild systems after a security incident, minimizing downtime and ensuring operational continuity.”

Option B (IaC enables automated and consistent deployment of recovery environments) is the correct answer.

Option A (IaC is primarily used for designing network security policies) is incorrect because IaC focuses on infrastructure deployment, not policy design.

Option C (IaC provides encryption and secure key management) is incorrect because IaC does not directly handle encryption or key management.

Option D (IaC automates incident detection and alerting) is incorrect because IaC is not used for detection or alerting.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC)allows organizations toautomate cloud infrastructure managementusingcode-based templatesinstead of manual configuration.

Key Benefits of IaC:

Version Control & Automation

IaC uses version control systems (e.g., Git) to track changes in infrastructure.

Developers can quickly deploy infrastructure updates, reducing human errors.

Ensuresconsistent, repeatable deploymentsacross environments.

Rapid & Scalable Deployments

EnablesCI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment)pipelines.

Automates infrastructure provisioning, reducingdeployment time from hours to minutes.

Works withTerraform, AWS CloudFormation, Ansible, and Kubernetes manifests.

Security & Compliance Enhancements

Policies as Code (PaC) & Security as Code (SaC) enforce security best practices.

Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM)scans IaC for misconfigurations.

Reducesshadow IT risksby enforcingpre-approved infrastructure templates.

Prevents Configuration Drift

RegularIaC re-application (desired state enforcement)ensuresconsistent infrastructure settings.

Eliminatesmanual misconfigurations that lead to security vulnerabilities.

This is extensively covered in:

CCSK v5 - Security Guidance v4.0, Domain 6 (Management Plane and Business Continuity)

Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM) - Infrastructure and Configuration Management Controls​.

Behavioral detection for IAM and management plane activities is essential for identifying unusual or suspicious actions by compromised identities, especially in environments where attackers use automated tactics. Reference: [CCSK v5 Curriculum, Domain 5 - IAM]

The correct answer isA. Enables programmatic configuration.

InSoftware-Defined Networking (SDN), the control plane and data plane are decoupled, meaning that thenetwork intelligence (control plane)is separated from thetraffic forwarding functions (data plane). This separation allows network control to be directly programmable, rather than embedded within the hardware.

Key Benefits of Decoupling:

Programmatic Configuration:Network administrators can program the network dynamically using software applications. This programmability enablesautomated, flexible, and efficient network management.

Centralized Control:The control plane is managed from acentralized controller, which can adjust network configurations in real-time.

Reduced Hardware Dependency:Since the control logic is no longer embedded in individual hardware devices, it is easier to use commodity hardware andstandardized interfaces.

Agility and Scalability:Organizations can rapidly deploy new services and update configurations without altering the underlying hardware.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

B. Decreases network security:Decoupling does not inherently decrease security. In fact, centralized control can enhance security through consistent policy enforcement.

C. Increases hardware dependency:The opposite is true. SDN reduces dependency on proprietary hardware by enabling software-based management.

D. Increases network complexity:While SDN introduces new software components, it simplifies network management bycentralizing control and reducing hardware configuration complexities.

Real-World Example:

In a cloud environment, SDN controllers likeOpenDaylightorCisco ACIallow fordynamic routing,load balancing, andtraffic managementthrough APIs. This flexibility supportsautomated scaling and traffic optimization.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) primarily provides users with storage, computing resources, and networking capabilities. In the IaaS model, cloud providers offer virtualized computing resources over the internet. Users can rent servers, storage, and networking equipment without needing to manage the physical hardware themselves. This allows for flexible scaling and resource management according to the users' needs.

FaaS focuses on serverless computing where users run code in response to events. PaaS provides a platform that allows users to develop, run, and manage applications without worrying about the underlying infrastructure. SaaS delivers fully managed applications over the internet, where users access software without managing the infrastructure.

Compensating controls are implemented when the required controls for a cybersecurity framework cannot be met due to technical or practical limitations. These controls are alternative measures that provide similar protection or risk mitigation. Compensating controls help to ensure that the security posture remains strong even when the primary controls cannot be applied.

Detective controls focus on identifying security incidents after they occur but do not replace required controls. Preventive controls aim to prevent security incidents from occurring but may not always be possible or practical to implement in certain situations. Administrative controls include policies and procedures but do not address the need for compensating measures when technical controls cannot be met.

The Preparation phase focuses on setting up an incident response team and developing plans to handle incidents efficiently when they occur. Reference: [Security Guidance v5, Domain 11 - Incident Response]

In a cloud context, entitlement refers to the specific resources or services a user is granted permission to access based on their roles or permissions. This includes access to applications, data, or cloud services, and is typically managed through Identity and Access Management (IAM) systems, which define what users can do and what they can access within the cloud environment.