Question

Difficulty: MediumCloud Architecture and Deployment Models

A financial technology firm processes sensitive payment transactions using a serverless architecture (Function-as-a-Service) and utilizes a third-party Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform for customer records management. Which of the following security tasks remain the sole responsibility of the enterprise customer across these cloud deployment models? (Select TWO.)

  1. Developing secure application source code and defining IAM role permissions for the serverless functions.Answer
  2. B
    Applying security updates and kernel patches to the underlying host infrastructure running the serverless environment.
  3. Classifying organizational data and administering user access rights within the SaaS platform.Answer
  4. D
    Configuring perimeter firewall rules around the cloud provider's data centers to grant implicit trust to internal API requests.

Answer

The enterprise customer is strictly responsible for developing secure serverless application code, managing IAM role policies, classifying organizational data, and controlling user access within the SaaS application.
Under the cloud shared responsibility model, higher abstraction models (such as FaaS and SaaS) transfer physical infrastructure, operating system maintenance, and host application management to the cloud provider. However, regardless of the deployment model, the customer always retains ultimate responsibility for data classification, identity and access management (IAM), and custom code development.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Evaluate customer responsibilities in Function-as-a-Service (FaaS)
In FaaS, the cloud provider abstracts away servers, operating systems, and runtime provisioning. The customer is solely responsible for code security, data handling, and access permissions (IAM).
Understanding the boundary of abstraction in serverless compute models.
2
Evaluate customer responsibilities in Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)
In SaaS, the provider manages the application code, infrastructure, and hardware availability. The customer remains responsible for data governance, classification, user management, and authorization.
Identifying shared responsibility limits in application-level cloud services.
3
Select tasks common to customer ownership
Writing secure code and configuring IAM for serverless functions, alongside classifying data and managing user access in SaaS, fall entirely on the customer.
Matching shared responsibility allocation across abstract cloud service models.

Key Concept

Cloud Shared Responsibility Model across FaaS and SaaS
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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