Question

Difficulty: MediumCloud Architecture and Deployment Models

An enterprise is migrating its customer database to a Platform as a Service (PaaS) cloud environment. During the architectural design phase, the security team must document operational duties in accordance with the cloud shared responsibility model. Which of the following responsibilities remains strictly with the customer organization in a PaaS deployment?

  1. Classifying stored data sensitivity and configuring user access control policiesAnswer
  2. B
    Applying software updates and kernel patches to the underlying server operating system
  3. C
    Establishing physical perimeter security and hardware maintenance inside the data center
  4. D
    Configuring network perimeter firewalls around the physical cloud infrastructure hosts

Answer

Classifying stored data sensitivity and configuring user access control policies remains the sole responsibility of the customer organization in a Platform as a Service (PaaS) model.
Under the cloud shared responsibility model for Platform as a Service (PaaS), the Cloud Service Provider (CSP) manages the physical infrastructure, hypervisor, operating system, and database runtime environment. The customer is strictly responsible for managing their own data, classifying data sensitivity, and enforcing identity and access management policies for users interacting with the service.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the cloud service model referenced in the scenario.
The scenario specifies a Platform as a Service (PaaS) model.
Responsibility boundaries differ significantly between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS.
2
Analyze the division of responsibility under the PaaS shared responsibility matrix.
The Cloud Service Provider (CSP) manages physical hardware, network infrastructure, hypervisors, runtime environments, and operating system patching. The customer retains control and responsibility for data governance, application logic, and user access management.
PaaS abstracts the underlying operating system and hardware layers from the customer.
3
Evaluate the candidate options to find the customer-managed duty.
Classifying data and setting access control policies is a customer responsibility across all cloud service models.
Data ownership and access rights management always remain with the customer regardless of whether IaaS, PaaS, or SaaS is deployed.

Key Concept

Cloud Shared Responsibility Model in PaaS
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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