CCZT Online Practice Questions and Answers

Correct Answer: A

ZTA planning can improve the developer experience by streamlining access provisioning to deployment environments. This means that developers can access the resources and services they need to deploy their applications in a fast and secure manner, without having to go through complex and manual processes. ZTA planning can also help to automate and orchestrate the access provisioning using dynamic and granular policies based on the context and attributes of the developers, devices, and applications. References: Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) - Cloud Security Alliance, Zero Trust Training (ZTT) - Module 10: ZTA Planning and Implementation

Correct Answer: A

SDP features protect against certificate forgery attacks by using identity verification mechanisms that prevent attackers from impersonating servers or users.References: Zero Trust Training (ZTT) - Module 8: Testing and Validation

Correct Answer: B

To respond quickly to changes while implementing ZT Strategy, an organization requires a mindset and culture of continuous risk evaluation and policy adjustment. This means that the organization should constantly monitor the threat

landscape, assess the security posture, and update the policies and controls accordingly to maintain a high level of protection and resilience. The organization should also embrace feedback, learning, and improvement as part of the ZT

journey.

References:

Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) prepkit, page 7, section 1.3 Cultivating a Zero Trust mindset - AWS Prescriptive Guidance, section "Continuous learning and improvement"

Zero Trust architecture: a paradigm shift in cybersecurity - PwC, section "Continuous monitoring and improvement"

Correct Answer: A

Policy is the element of ZT that focuses on the governance rules that define the "who, what, when, how, and why" aspects of accessing target resources. Policy is the core component of a ZTA that determines the access decisions and

controls for each request based on various attributes and factors, such as user identity, device posture, network location, resource sensitivity, and environmental context. Policy is also the element that enables the ZT principles of "never trust,

always verify" and "scrutinize explicitly" by enforcing granular, dynamic, and data-driven rules for each access request.

References:

Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) prepkit, page 14, section 2.2.2 What Is Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA)? - F5, section "Policy Engine" Zero Trust Architecture Project - NIST Computer Security Resource Center, slide 9 [Zero

Trust Frameworks Architecture Guide - Cisco], page 4, section "Policy Decision Point"

Correct Answer: D

SDP mitigates the risk of broken access control by mandating micro-segmentation and implementing least privilege. Micro-segmentation divides the network into smaller, isolated segments that can prevent unauthorized access and contain lateral movement. Least privilege grants the minimum necessary access to users and devices for specific resources, while hiding all other assets from their view. This reduces the attack surface and prevents attackers from exploiting weak or misconfigured access controls

Correct Answer: A

In a ZTA, a policy decision point (PDP) is a logical component that evaluates the incoming signals from an entity requesting access to a resource against a set of access determination criteria, such as identity, context, device, location, and behavior1. A PDP then makes a decision to grant or deny access, or to request additional information or verification, based on the policies defined by the policy administrator1. A policy enforcement point (PEP) is a logical component that uses the incoming signals from the PDP to open or close a connection between the entity and the resource1. A PEP acts as a gateway or intermediary that enforces the decision made by the PDP and prevents unauthorized or risky access2. References: Zero Trust Architecture | NIST Policy Enforcement Point (PEP) - Pomerium

Correct Answer: B

Network access control (NAC) typically operates at layer 2, the data link layer, of the open systems interconnection (OSI) model. The data link layer is responsible for transferring data between adjacent nodes on a network, such as switches and endpoints. NAC operates at this layer by inspecting and controlling the access of devices to the network based on their MAC addresses, device profiles, security posture, and compliance status. References: Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) - Cloud Security Alliance, Zero Trust Training (ZTT) - Module 6: Micro-segmentation

Correct Answer: C

Different SDP deployment models have different advantages and disadvantages depending on the organization's use case, such as the type of resources to be protected, the location of the clients and servers, the network topology, the

scalability, the performance, and the security requirements. Network architects should consider their use case before selecting an SDP model that best suits their needs and goals.

References:

Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) prepkit, page 21, section 3.1.2 6 SDP Deployment Models to Achieve Zero Trust | CSA, section "Deployment Models Explained"

Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) and Zero Trust | CSA, page 7, section 3.1 Why SDP Matters in Zero Trust | SonicWall, section "SDP Deployment Models"

Correct Answer: B

During the monitoring and analytics phase of ZT transaction flows, organizations should collect statistics and profile the behavior of transactions to support a continuous assessment of all transactions. A continuous assessment of all

transactions means that the organization constantly evaluates the security posture, performance, and compliance of each transaction, and detects and responds to any anomalies, deviations, or threats. Acontinuous assessment of all

transactions helps to maintain a high level of protection and resilience in the ZTA, and enables the organization to adjust and improve the policies and controls accordingly.

References:

Zero Trust Planning - Cloud Security Alliance, section "Monitor and Measure" The role of visibility and analytics in zero trust architectures, section "The basic NIST tenets of this approach include"

Move to the Zero Trust Security Model - Trailhead, section "Monitor and Maintain Your Environment"

Correct Answer: B

When preparing to implement ZTA, some changes may be required in the organization's governance, compliance, risk management, and operations. These components are essential for ensuring a successful implementation of ZTA, as they involve the following aspects12: Governance: This refers to the establishment of a clear vision, strategy, and roadmap for ZTA, as well as the definition of roles, responsibilities, and authorities for ZTA stakeholders. Governance also involves the alignment of ZTA with the organization's mission, goals, and objectives, and the communication and collaboration among ZTA teams and other business units. Compliance: This refers to the adherence to the relevant laws, regulations, standards, and policies that apply to the organization's ZTA. Compliance also involves the identification and mitigation of any legal or contractual risks or issues that may arise from ZTA implementation, such as data privacy, security, and sovereignty. Risk management: This refers to the assessment and management of the risks associated with ZTA implementation, such as technical, operational, financial, or reputational risks. Risk management also involves the development and implementation of risk mitigation strategies, controls, and metrics, as well as the monitoring and reporting of risk status and performance. Operations: This refers to the execution and maintenance of the ZTA processes, technologies, and services, as well as the integration and interoperability of ZTA with the existing IT infrastructure and systems. Operations also involve the optimization and improvement of ZTA efficiency and effectiveness, as well as the resolution of any operational issues or incidents. References: Zero Trust Architecture: Governance Zero Trust Architecture: Acquisition and Adoption

Correct Answer: A

The first step for an organization in defining priorities for ZT planning is to determine the current state of its network, security, and business environment. This involves conducting a comprehensive assessment of the existing IT infrastructure, systems, applications, data, and assets, as well as the threats, risks, and vulnerabilities that affect them. The current state analysis also involves identifying the gaps, challenges, and opportunities for improvement in the current security posture, as well as the business goals, objectives, and requirements for ZT implementation12. By determining the current state, the organization can establish a baseline for measuring the progress and impact of ZT, as well as prioritize the most critical and urgent areas for ZT adoption. References: Planning for a Zero Trust Architecture: A Planning Guide for Federal Administrators | CSRC Publications NIST Zero Trust Architecture Explained: A Step-by-Step Approach - Comparitech

Correct Answer: B

After successful authentication and authorization, the client typically sends an SPA packet to the controller, which acts as an intermediary in authenticating the client's request before access to the accepting host is granted. References: Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) - Cloud Security Alliance, Zero Trust Training (ZTT) - Module 9: Risk Management

Correct Answer: A

Single Packet Authorization (SPA) is a security protocol that allows a user to access a secure network without the need to enter a password or other credentials. Instead, it is an authentication protocol that uses a single packet ?an encrypted packet of data ?to convey a user's identity and request access1. A key concept of SPA is that the SPA packet must be digitally signed and authenticated by the SPA server before granting access to the user. This ensures that only authorized users can send valid SPA packets and prevents replay attacks, spoofing attacks, or brute-force attacks23. References: Zero Trust: Single Packet Authorization | Passive authorization Single Packet Authorization | Linux Journal Single Packet Authorization Explained | Appgate Whitepaper

Correct Answer: B

To ensure an acceptable user experience when implementing SDP, a security architect should collaborate with IT to model and plan the user experience, client software distribution, and device onboarding processes. This is because SDP requires users to install and use client software to access the protected resources, and the user experience may vary depending on the device type, operating system, network conditions, and security policies. By modeling and planning the user experience, the security architect and IT can ensure that the SDP implementation is user-friendly, consistent, and secure. References: Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) - Cloud Security Alliance, Zero Trust Training (ZTT)

-Module 7: Network Infrastructure and SDP

Correct Answer: B

A comprehensive catalogue of all transactions, dependencies, and services with associated IDs is a potential outcome of an effective ZT implementation because it helps to map the data flows and interactions among the assets and entities in the ZTA. This catalogue enables the ZTA to enforce granular and dynamic policies based on the context and attributes of the transactions, dependencies, and services. It also facilitates the monitoring and auditing of the ZTA activities and performance. References: Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) - Cloud Security Alliance, Zero Trust Training (ZTT) - Module 3: ZTA Architecture and Components