Question

Difficulty: Very hardCloud Architecture and Deployment Models

A biomedical research organization is implementing an event-driven serverless (Function-as-a-Service) workflow to process sensitive genomic datasets. The solution operates within a community cloud model shared among research partners and integrates with an on-premises data repository via a secure hybrid connection. The security architecture team must define strict operational responsibilities in accordance with the cloud shared responsibility model. Which of the following security management tasks remain the direct responsibility of the biomedical research organization? (Select TWO.)

  1. Configuring function-level identity authorization policies and managing data classification rules for the genomic datasetsAnswer
  2. Managing customer-managed encryption keys (CMEK) and defining API gateway access token validation logicAnswer
  3. C
    Applying security patches and kernel updates to the underlying serverless execution environment and host OS
  4. D
    Enforcing hypervisor isolation controls and physical hardware separation between research partner tenants

Answer

The research organization is directly responsible for configuring function-level authorization policies with data classification rules, as well as managing customer-managed encryption keys (CMEK) alongside API gateway access token validation logic.
In serverless architecture (FaaS), the Cloud Service Provider manages the underlying hardware, hypervisors, server OS, and runtime infrastructure. However, the customer retains sole responsibility for data governance (classification and encryption key management) and identity control (API access token rules and function authorization policies).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the cloud service model
Identified Function-as-a-Service (FaaS / Serverless) architecture.
Serverless abstracts away server management, shifting OS, runtime, and hypervisor patching entirely to the Cloud Service Provider.
2
Evaluate data and identity security responsibilities
Customer retains 100% control over data classification, encryption key governance, and identity access rules.
Regardless of deployment model (Public, Private, Hybrid, Community), data security and identity management belong strictly to the tenant.
3
Select correct customer responsibilities
Configuring function-level authorization/data classification and managing CMEK/API validation rules are customer responsibilities.
These controls govern data protection and application access logic, which are customer-managed duties.

Key Concept

Cloud Shared Responsibility Model in FaaS / Serverless Deployments
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