Cloud Security Alliance CCZT Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) Exam Practice Test

During the gap analysis phase of Zero Trust (ZT) planning, risk appetite is typically defined when determining the target state. This step involves setting the desired security goals and objectives, taking into account the organization's tolerance for risk. Defining the risk appetite helps in aligning the ZT initiatives with the organization's broader risk management strategy, ensuring that the security measures are both effective and aligned with business objectives​​.

ZTA using enhanced identity governance is an approach to ZTA that strongly emphasizes proper governance of access privileges and entitlements for specific assets. This approach focuses on managing the identity lifecycle, enforcing granular and dynamic policies, and auditing and monitoring access activities. ZTA using enhanced identity governance helps to ensure that only authorized and verified entities can access the protected assets based on the principle of least privilege and the context of the request.

References = Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) - Cloud Security Alliance, Zero Trust Training (ZTT) - Module 5: Enhanced Identity Governance

Asset owners are the ones who will determine valid users, roles, and privileges for accessing data as part of data governance. Asset owners are responsible for defining the data classification, sensitivity, and ownership of the data assets they own. They also have the authority to grant or revoke access to the data assets based on the business needs and the Zero Trust policies.

References = Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) - Cloud Security Alliance, Zero Trust Training (ZTT) - Module 2: Data and Asset Classification

In a ZTA, policies should be created in the control plane, which is the logical component that defines and manages the policies for accessing resources. The control plane consists of policy entities, such as policy administrators, policy engines, and policy decision points, that are responsible for crafting, maintaining, evaluating, and enforcing the policies1. The control plane interacts with the data plane, which is the logical component that handles the data transmission and processing, and the network, which is the physical or virtual component that provides the connectivity and transport for the data plane1. The endpoint is the device or system that requests or provides access to a resource1.

References =

• Zero Trust Architecture | NIST

Micro-segmentation is a vital ZTA component that enhances network security and simplifies management by creating boundaries between resources in the same network zone. Micro-segmentation divides the network into smaller segments or zones based on the attributes and context of the resources, such as data sensitivity, application functionality, user roles, etc. Micro-segmentation helps to isolate and protect the resources from unauthorized access and lateral movement of attackers within the same network zone.

References = Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) - Cloud Security Alliance, Zero Trust Training (ZTT) - Module 6: Micro-segmentation

Multifactor authentication is a method of validating the identity of an entity by requiring two or more factors, such as something the entity knows (e.g., password, PIN), something the entity has (e.g., token, smart card), or something the entity is (e.g., biometric, behavioral). Multifactor authentication enhances the security of Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) by reducing the risk of identity compromise and unauthorized access.

References = Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) - Cloud Security Alliance, Zero Trust Training (ZTT) - Module 4: Identity and Access Management

According to NIST, the key mechanisms for defining, managing, and enforcing policies in a ZTA are the policy decision point (PDP), the policy enforcement point (PEP), and the policy information point (PIP). The PDP is the component that evaluates the policies and the contextual data collected from various sources and generates an access decision. The PEP is the component that enforces the access decision on the resource. The PIP is the component that provides the contextual data to the PDP, such as the user identity, the device posture, the network location, the resource attributes, and the environmental factors.

References =

• Zero Trust Architecture Project - NIST Computer Security Resource Center, slide 9
• What Is Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA)? - F5, section “Policy Engine”
• Zero Trust Frameworks Architecture Guide - Cisco, page 4, section “Policy Decision Point”

ABAC is an access control method that uses attributes of the requester, the resource, the environment, and the action to evaluate and enforce policies. ABAC allows for fine-grained and dynamic access control based on the context of the request, rather than predefined roles or privileges. ABAC is suitable for SaaS and PaaS, where the features within a service may vary depending on the customer’s needs, preferences, and subscription level. ABAC can help implement ZT by enforcing the principle of least privilege and verifying every request based on multiple factors.

References =

• Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) Definition
• General Access Control Guidance for Cloud Systems
• A Guide to Secure SaaS Access Control Within an Organization

Single Packet Authorization (SPA) is a method used in Zero Trust networks to securely request access to a service. A key concept of SPA is that the SPA packet must be self-contained, carrying all necessary information for the authorization decision within a single, encrypted packet. This ensures that the packet alone can provide enough context for the receiving server to authenticate the request and make an authorization decision, without needing additional information exchanges. This self-contained nature of SPA packets aligns with the principle of minimizing the movement and exposure of sensitive credentials, thus enhancing the security of the authentication process​​.

In the context of a Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) that incorporates Single Packet Authorization (SPA), after successful authentication and authorization, the client typically generates an SPA packet and sends it to the accepting host. This process involves the client creating a specially crafted packet that is designed to be recognized by the accepting host's SDP gateway. Upon receiving and validating the SPA packet, the gateway allows the client to establish a connection to the designated services or resources. This mechanism ensures that only authorized clients can initiate connections, enhancing security by preventing unauthorized access.

Device validation helps establish a trusted connection based on certificate-based keys in a ZT deployment. Device validation is the process of verifying the identity and posture of the devices that request access to the protected resources. Device validation relies on the use of certificates, which are digital credentials that bind the device identity to a public key. Certificates are issued by a trusted authority and can be used to authenticate the device and encrypt the communication. Device validation helps to ensure that only healthy and compliant devices can access the resources, and that the connection is secure and confidential.

References =

• Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) prepkit, page 15, section 2.2.3
• Zero Trust and Windows device health - Windows Security, section “Device health attestation on Windows”
• Devices and zero trust | Google Cloud Blog, section “In a zero trust environment, every device has to earn trust in order to be granted access.”

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

A key architectural consideration that needs to be taken into account while deploying SDP is how SDP deployment fits into existing network topologies and technologies. This is because SDP deployment may require changes or adaptations to the existing network infrastructure, such as routers, switches, firewalls, VPNs, etc. SDP deployment may also affect the network performance, availability, scalability, and resilience. Therefore, it is important to assess the impact and compatibility of SDP deployment with the existing network topologies and technologies, and to plan and design the SDP deployment accordingly.

References = Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) - Cloud Security Alliance, Zero Trust Training (ZTT) - Module 7: Network Infrastructure and SDP

Data and asset classification should be based on the sensitivity of data, which is the degree to which the data requires protection from unauthorized access, modification, or disclosure. Data sensitivity is determined by the potential impact of data loss, theft, or corruption on the organization, its customers, and its partners. Data sensitivity can also be influenced by legal, regulatory, and contractual obligations.

References =

• Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) prepkit, page 10, section 2.1.1
• Identify and protect sensitive business data with Zero Trust, section 1
• Secure data with Zero Trust, section 1
• SP 800-207, Zero Trust Architecture, page 9, section 3.2.1

The third step in the SDP onboarding process is to onboard and authenticate the initiating hosts, which are the clients that request access to the protected resources. The initiating hosts connect to and authenticate with the SDP gateway, which acts as an accepting host and a proxy for the protected resources. The SDP gateway verifies the identity and posture of the initiating hosts and grants them access to the resources based on the policies defined by the SDP controller.

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

The first step that organizations should take to strengthen access requirements and protect their resources from unauthorized access by potential cyber threats is to understand and identify the data and assets that need to be protected. This step involves conducting a data and asset inventory and classification, which helps to determine the value, sensitivity, ownership, and location of the data and assets. By understanding and identifying the data and assets that need to be protected, organizations can define the appropriate access policies and controls based on the Zero Trust principles of never trust, always verify, and assume breach.

References = Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) - Cloud Security Alliance, Zero Trust Training (ZTT) - Module 2: Data and Asset Classification

In a ZTA, the logical combination of both the policy engine (PE) and policy administrator (PA) is called the policy decision point (PDP). The PE is the component that evaluates the policies and the contextual data collected from various sources and generates an access decision. The PA is the component that establishes or terminates the communication between a subject and a resource based on the access decision. The PDP communicates with the policy enforcement point (PEP), which enforces the access decision on the resource.

References =

• Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) prepkit, page 14, section 2.2.2
• Zero Trust Architecture Project - NIST Computer Security Resource Center, slide 9
• What Is a Zero Trust Security Framework? | Votiro, section “The Policy Engine and Policy Administrator”
• Zero Trust Frameworks Architecture Guide - Cisco, page 4, section “Policy Decision Point”

SPA is a security protocol that prevents device impersonation attacks in a ZTA by hiding the network infrastructure from unauthorized and unauthenticated users. SPA uses a single encrypted packet to convey the user’s identity and request access to a resource. The SPA packet must be digitally signed and authenticated by the SPA server before granting access. This ensures that only authorized devices can send valid SPA packets and prevents spoofing, replay, or brute-force attacks12.

References =

• Zero Trust: Single Packet Authorization | Passive authorization
• Single Packet Authorization | Linux Journal