Palo Alto Networks (PANW) Certified Cybersecurity Entry-level Technician (PCCET) Practice Exam

In which cloud service model are customers responsible for securing their virtual machines and operating systems?

1. Platform as a service (PaaS)

2. Identity as a service (IaaS)

3. Software as a service (SaaS)

4. Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)

The correct answer is: Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)

In the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) model, customers are indeed responsible for securing their virtual machines and operating systems. This service model provides the foundational infrastructure such as virtual servers, storage, and networking over the internet, allowing customers to build and manage their own IT resources. In IaaS, the cloud provider is responsible for the underlying physical hardware and the physical security of the data centers, but once the infrastructure is deployed, customers have control over the operating systems, applications, and data. This implies that it is up to the customer to implement appropriate security measures for their virtual machines, such as configuration hardening, patch management, and intrusion detection. Understanding this responsibility is crucial for businesses to ensure that their applications and data are properly protected in the cloud environment. Recognizing the role of IaaS helps clarify security responsibilities and informs necessary actions to safeguard virtual assets effectively.