Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Security groups in Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) are essential components that act like virtual firewalls. They are designed to control the flow of incoming and outgoing traffic to cloud resources, such as virtual machines. By defining rules within a security group, administrators can specify which types of traffic are allowed or denied. This capability is vital for maintaining the security posture of cloud environments, ensuring that only legitimate traffic reaches the resources, while unwanted traffic is blocked.

The rules within security groups can be customized based on various attributes such as IP addresses, protocols, and ports, allowing for granular control that aligns with specific security requirements. This flexibility enables organizations to implement defensive measures tailored to their applications and datasets, effectively managing their exposure and reducing the risk of unauthorized access.

In contrast, the other options refer to different aspects of cloud security and management. Policies governing user access pertain to identity and access management, while encryption methods involve protecting data from unauthorized access by encrypting it. Mechanisms for logging and monitoring cloud activities focus on tracking resource usage and security incidents rather than controlling traffic. Therefore, the accurate role of security groups is best captured by their function as virtual firewalls that safeguard cloud resources by managing network traffic.