Practice Free CCAK Exam Online Questions
When applying the Top Threats Analysis methodology following an incident, what is the scope of the technical impact identification step?
- A . Determine the impact on the controls that were selected by the organization to respond to identified risks.
- B . Determine the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the information system.
- C . Determine the impact on the physical and environmental security of the organization, excluding informational assets.
- D . Determine the impact on the financial, operational, compliance, and reputation of the organization.
B
Explanation:
When applying the Top Threats Analysis methodology following an incident, the scope of the technical impact identification step is to determine the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the information system. The Top Threats Analysis methodology is a framework developed by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) to help organizations identify, analyze, and mitigate the most critical threats to cloud computing. The methodology consists of six steps: threat identification, threat analysis, technical impact identification, business impact analysis, risk assessment, and risk treatment12.
The technical impact identification step is the third step of the methodology, and it aims to assess how the incident affected the security properties of the information system, namely confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Confidentiality refers to the protection of data from unauthorized access or disclosure. Integrity refers to the protection of data from unauthorized modification or deletion. Availability refers to the protection of data and services from disruption or denial. The technical impact identification step can help organizations to understand the severity and extent of the incident and its consequences on the information system12.
The other options are not within the scope of the technical impact identification step.
Option A, determine the impact on the controls that were selected by the organization to respond to identified risks, is not within the scope because it is part of the risk treatment step, which is the sixth and final step of the methodology.
Option C, determine the impact on the physical and environmental security of the organization, excluding informational assets, is not within the scope because it is not related to the information system or its security properties.
Option D, determine the impact on the financial, operational, compliance, and reputation of the organization, is not within the scope because it is part of the business impact analysis step, which is the fourth step of the methodology.
Reference: =
Top Threats Analysis Methodology – CSA1
Top Threats Analysis Methodology – Cloud Security Alliance
During an audit, it was identified that a critical application hosted in an off-premises cloud is not part of the organization’s disaster recovery plan (DRP). Management stated that it is responsible for ensuring the cloud service provider has a plan that is tested annually.
What should be the auditor’s NEXT course of action?
- A . Review the contract and DR capability.
- B . Plan an audit of the provider.
- C . Review the security white paper of the provider.
- D . Review the provider’s audit reports.
A
Explanation:
The auditor’s next course of action should be to review the contract and DR capability of the cloud service provider. The contract should specify the roles and responsibilities of both parties regarding disaster recovery, as well as the service level agreements (SLAs) and recovery time objectives (RTOs) for the critical application. The DR capability should demonstrate that the cloud service provider has a plan that is aligned with the organization’s requirements and expectations, and that it is tested annually and validated by independent auditors. The auditor should also verify that the organization has a process to monitor and review the cloud service provider’s performance and compliance with the contract and SLAs.
Planning an audit of the provider (B) may not be feasible or necessary, as the auditor may not have
access to the provider’s environment or data, and may not have the authority or expertise to conduct such an audit. The auditor should rely on the provider’s audit reports and certifications to assess their compliance with relevant standards and regulations.
Reviewing the security white paper of the provider © may not be sufficient or relevant, as the security white paper may not cover the specific aspects of disaster recovery for the critical application, or may not reflect the current state of the provider’s security controls and practices. The security white paper may also be biased or outdated, as it is produced by the provider themselves. Reviewing the provider’s audit reports (D) may be helpful, but not enough, as the audit reports may not address the specific requirements and expectations of the organization for disaster recovery, or may not cover the latest changes or incidents that may affect the provider’s DR capability. The audit reports may also have limitations or qualifications that may affect their reliability or validity.
Reference: =
Audit a Disaster Recovery Plan | AlertFind ISACA Introduces New Audit Programs for Business Continuity/Disaster … How to Maintain and Test a Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan
What is the FIRST thing to define when an organization is moving to the cloud?
- A . Goals of the migration
- B . Internal service level agreements (SLAs)
- C . Specific requirements
- D . Provider evaluation criteria
A
Explanation:
When an organization is moving to the cloud, the first thing to define is the goals of the migration. This is because the goals will guide all subsequent decisions and strategies. Defining clear goals helps in understanding what the organization wants to achieve with cloud migration, whether it’s cost savings, scalability, improved performance, or something else. These goals are essential for aligning the migration with the business objectives and for setting the direction for the cloud strategy.
Reference = The importance of defining the goals of cloud migration is supported by the resources provided by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) and ISACA in their Cloud Auditing Knowledge (CCAK) materials12. These resources emphasize the need for a clear understanding of the objectives and benefits expected from moving to the cloud, which is foundational before delving into specifics such as SLAs, requirements, or provider evaluation criteria.
Which of the following is the BEST tool to perform cloud security control audits?
- A . General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- B . Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM)
- C . Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2
- D . ISO 27001
B
Explanation:
The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM) is the best tool to perform cloud security control audits, as it is a comprehensive framework that provides organizations with a detailed understanding of security concepts and principles that are aligned to the cloud model. The CCM covers 16 domains of cloud security, such as data security, identity and access management, encryption and key management, incident response, and audit assurance and compliance. The CCM also maps to other standards, such as ISO 27001, NIST SP 800-53, PCI DSS, COBIT, and GDPR, to facilitate compliance and assurance activities1.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is not a tool, but rather a regulation that aims to protect the personal data and privacy of individuals in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). The GDPR imposes strict requirements on organizations that process personal data of individuals in these regions, such as obtaining consent, ensuring data security, reporting breaches, and respecting data subject rights. The GDPR is relevant for cloud security audits, but it is not a comprehensive framework that covers all aspects of cloud security2.
The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 is not a tool, but rather a standard that specifies the security requirements for cryptographic modules used by federal agencies and other organizations. The FIPS 140-2 defines four levels of security, from Level 1 (lowest) to Level 4 (highest), based on the design and implementation of the cryptographic module. The FIPS 140-2 is important for cloud security audits, especially for organizations that handle sensitive or classified information, but it is not a comprehensive framework that covers all aspects of cloud security3. ISO 27001 is a standard that specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving an information security management system (ISMS). An ISMS is a systematic approach to managing information security risks and ensuring the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information assets. ISO 27001 is relevant for cloud security audits, as it provides a framework for assessing and improving the security posture of an organization. However, ISO 27001 does not provide specific guidance or controls for cloud services, which is why ISO 27017:2015 was developed as an extension to ISO 27001 for cloud services4.
Reference: = Cloud Controls Matrix | Cloud Security Alliance
General Data Protection Regulation – Wikipedia
FIPS PUB 140-2 – NIST
ISO/IEC 27001:2013(en), Information technology ? Security techniques …
Which of the following is the MOST important audit scope document when conducting a review of a cloud service provider?
- A . Documentation criteria for the audit evidence
- B . Testing procedure to be performed
- C . Processes and systems to be audited
- D . Updated audit work program
C
Explanation:
The most important audit scope document when conducting a review of a cloud service provider is the document that defines the processes and systems to be audited. This document should clearly identify the objectives, criteria, and boundaries of the audit, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the audit team and the cloud service provider. The document should also specify the scope of the cloud service provider’s services, such as the service model, deployment model, geographic location, data classification, and compliance requirements. The document should also describe the scope of the audit evidence, such as the types, sources, methods, and sampling techniques of data collection and analysis. The document should also state the expected deliverables, timelines, and reporting formats of the audit. The document should be agreed upon by both parties before the audit commences.
The document that defines the processes and systems to be audited is essential for ensuring that the audit is relevant, reliable, consistent, and complete. It helps to establish a common understanding and expectation between the auditor and the auditee, as well as to avoid any misunderstandings or conflicts during or after the audit. It also helps to focus the audit on the key risks and controls related to the cloud service provider’s operations and performance. It also helps to ensure that the audit complies with the applicable standards, frameworks, and regulations.
Reference: Cloud Audits and Compliance: What You Need To Know – Linford & Company LLP How to audit the cloud | ICAEW
Auditing Cloud Computing: A Security and Privacy Guide
Management planes deployed in cloud environments may pose a risk of potentially allowing access to the entire environment.
Which of the following controls is MOST appropriate for mitigating this risk?
- A . Change management
- B . Regular audits
- C . Access restriction
- D . Increased monitoring
Which of the following is the PRIMARY area for an auditor to examine in order to understand the criticality of the cloud services in an organization, along with their dependencies and risks?
- A . Contractual documents of the cloud service provider
- B . Heat maps
- C . Data security process flow
- D . Turtle diagram
B
Explanation:
Heat maps are graphical representations of data that use color-coding to show the relative intensity, frequency, or magnitude of a variable1. Heat maps can be used to visualize the criticality of the cloud services in an organization, along with their dependencies and risks, by mapping the cloud services to different dimensions, such as business impact, availability, security, performance, cost, etc. Heat maps can help auditors identify the most important or vulnerable cloud services, as well as the relationships and trade-offs among them2.
For example, Azure Charts provides heat maps for various aspects of Azure cloud services, such as updates, trends, pillars, areas, geos, categories, etc3. These heat maps can help auditors understand the current state and dynamics of Azure cloud services and compare them across different dimensions4.
Contractual documents of the cloud service provider are the legal agreements that define the terms and conditions of the cloud service, including the roles, responsibilities, and obligations of the parties involved. They may provide some information on the criticality of the cloud services in an organization, but they are not as visual or comprehensive as heat maps. Data security process flow is a diagram that shows the steps and activities involved in protecting data from unauthorized access, use, modification, or disclosure. It may help auditors understand the data security controls and risks of the cloud services in an organization, but it does not cover other aspects of criticality, such as business impact or performance. Turtle diagram is a tool that helps analyze a process by showing its inputs, outputs, resources, criteria, methods, and interactions. It may help auditors understand the process flow and dependencies of the cloud services in an organization, but it does not show the relative importance or risks of each process element.
Reference: What is a Heat Map? Definition from WhatIs.com1, section on Heat Map
Cloud Computing Security Considerations | Cyber.gov.au2, section on Cloud service criticality Azure Charts – Clarity for the Cloud3, section on Heat Maps Azure Services Overview4, section on Heat Maps
Cloud Services Due Diligence Checklist | Trust Center, section on How to use the checklist
Data Security Process Flow – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics, section on Data Security Process Flow
What is a Turtle Diagram? Definition from WhatIs.com, section on Turtle Diagram
What type of termination occurs at the initiative of one party and without the fault of the other party?
- A . Termination without the fault
- B . Termination at the end of the term
- C . Termination for cause
- D . Termination for convenience
D
Explanation:
Termination for convenience is a contractual provision that allows one party to unilaterally terminate the contract without the fault of the other party. This type of termination does not require the terminating party to prove that the other party has failed to meet their obligations or is at fault in any way. Instead, it is often used to end a contract when it is no longer in the best interest of the terminating party to continue, for reasons that may include changes in business strategy, financial considerations, or other external factors.
Reference = The concept of termination for convenience is commonly found in various contractual agreements and is a standard clause in government contracts, allowing the government to terminate a contract when it is deemed to be in the public interest. While the search did not yield specific CCAK documents detailing this type of termination, it is a well-established principle in contract law and is likely covered under the broader topic of contract management within the CCAK curriculum.
Which of the following is the MOST relevant question in the cloud compliance program design phase?
- A . Who owns the cloud services strategy?
- B . Who owns the cloud strategy?
- C . Who owns the cloud governance strategy?
- D . Who owns the cloud portfolio strategy?
B
Explanation:
The most relevant question in the cloud compliance program design phase is who owns the cloud governance strategy. Cloud governance is a method of information and technology (I&T) governance focused on accountability, defining decision rights and balancing benefit, risk and resources in an environment that embraces cloud computing. Cloud governance creates business-driven policies and principles that establish the appropriate degree of investments and control around the life cycle process for cloud computing services1. Therefore, it is essential to identify who owns the cloud governance strategy in the organization, as this will determine the roles and responsibilities, decision-making authority, reporting structure, and escalation process for cloud compliance issues. The cloud governance owner should be a senior executive who has the vision, influence, and resources to drive the cloud compliance program and align it with the business objectives2.
Reference: Building Cloud Governance From the Basics – ISACA
[Cloud Governance | Microsoft Azure]
Which of the following cloud environments should be a concern to an organization s cloud auditor?
- A . The cloud service provider s data center is more than 100 miles away.
- B . The technical team is trained on only one vendor Infrastructure as a Service (laaS) platform, but the organization has subscribed to another vendor’s laaS platform as an alternative.
- C . The organization entirely depends on several proprietary Software as a Service (SaaS) applications.
- D . The failover region of the cloud service provider is on another continent
C
Explanation:
This situation poses a significant concern for a cloud auditor because it indicates a potential gap in the technical team’s ability to effectively manage and secure the IaaS platform provided by the alternative vendor. Without proper training on the specific features, security practices, and operational procedures of the new platform, the organization may face increased risks of misconfiguration, security vulnerabilities, and inefficiencies in cloud operations. It is crucial for the technical team to have a comprehensive understanding of all platforms in use to ensure they can maintain the security and performance standards required for a robust cloud environment.
Reference = The concern is based on common cloud auditing challenges, such as controlling and monitoring user access, and ensuring the IT team is equipped to manage the cloud environment effectively12. Additionally, best practices suggest that network segmentation, user authentication, and access control are critical areas to address in a cloud audit3. These principles are widely recognized in the field of cloud security and compliance.