Cloud Provider X has deployed a virtualization environment in Cloud X comprised of Physical Server A hosting Virtual Servers A and B. Cloud Provider X implements Cloud Service A on Virtual Server A and makes it available to Cloud Service Consumer A, which interacts with Cloud Service A by sending and receiving messages (1, 2).
Cloud Provider Y has deployed a virtualization environment comprised of Physical Server B hosting Virtual Servers C and D. Virtual Server C is made available to Cloud Service Consumer B, which interacts with Virtual Server C (3,4) in order to prepare for the deployment of a new cloud service that will be used internally by Cloud Provider Y to process data obtained from Cloud Service A Cloud Consumer Z and Cloud Provider X belong to the same organization. Cloud Provider Y is a third-party organization. Which of the following statements provides a valid scenario that accurately describes the involvement of cloud deployment models, cloud delivery models, roles and/or boundaries? (Note that the correct answer represents one of multiple valid scenarios that can exist.)

• A. Cloud X is based on the private cloud deployment model. Cloud Service A is based on theSaaS delivery model. Cloud Y isbased on the community cloud deployment model. VirtualServer C is being offered as part of theIaaS delivery model. A cloud resource administrator working for Cloud Consumer Z uses Cloud Service Consumer A to access Cloud Service A. Cloud Consumer T s organizational and trust boundaries encompass Cloud Service Consumers A and B, Cloud Service A and Virtual Server C.
• B. Cloud X is based on the private cloud deployment model. Cloud Service A is based on the SaaS delivery model. Cloud Y is based on the public cloud deployment model. Virtual Server C is being offered as part of theIaaS delivery model. A cloud resource administrator working for Cloud Consumer Z uses Cloud Service Consumer B to access Virtual Server Cloud Consumer Z is the cloud service owner of Cloud Service A. Cloud Consumer Z's organizational boundary encompasses Cloud Service Consumers A and B. Cloud Consumer T s trust boundary encompasses Cloud Service Consumers A and B, Cloud Service A and Virtual Server
• C. Cloud X is based on the private cloud deployment model. Cloud Service A is based on the SaaS delivery model. Cloud Y is based on the private cloud deployment model. Virtual Server C is being offered as part of theIaaS delivery model. A cloud resource administrator working for Cloud Consumer Z uses Cloud Service Consumer B to access Virtual Server C. Cloud Consumer Z is the cloud service owner of Cloud Service Cloud Consumer T s organizational boundary encompasses Cloud Service Consumers A and B. Cloud Consumer T s trust boundary encompasses Cloud Service Consumers A and B, Cloud Service A and Virtual Server C.
• D. Cloud X is based on the private cloud deployment model. Cloud Service A is based on the SaaS delivery model. Cloud Y is based on the public cloud deployment model. Virtual Server C is being offered as part of theIaaS delivery model. A cloud resource administrator working for Cloud Consumer Z uses Cloud Service Consumer B to access Virtual Server C. Cloud Consumer Z' s trust boundary encompasses Cloud Service Consumers A and B, Cloud Service A and Virtual Server C. The organization that owns Cloud Consumer Z is the cloud service owner of Cloud Service A.

Cloud X (owned by Cloud Provider X) provides Physical Server A which hosts Virtual Servers A and B. Virtual Server B hosts Ready-Made Environments A and B. Cloud Service Consumer A uses Virtual Server A as part of an IaaS leasing agreement in which Cloud Consumer A is charged a fixed monthly fee for unlimited access. Cloud Service Consumers B and C use Ready-Made Environments A and B respectively as part of a PaaS leasing agreement based on per-minute usage fees. In both cases, access is monitored via Pay-For-Use Monitor A, which keeps track of log-in and log-out times in order to calculate the usage charges that are billed to Cloud Consumers B and C.
Virtual Server A begins generating a series of exceptions. Soon thereafter, Virtual Server B becomes destabilized, resulting in further exceptions being raised in Ready-Made Environments A and B. Cloud Service Consumers B and C receive a series of error messages until both of their connections are dropped Finally, Physical Server A shuts down completely. A subsequent investigation reveals that Virtual Server A was the victim of a security attack performed by a malicious cloud service consumer, the attacker generated increased loads of external communication requests on Virtual Server A and the underlying network, causing Physical Server A (along with Virtual Server B) to eventually shut down.

Which of the following statements accurately identifies the type of security threat that corresponds to the described attack - and -provides a solution that can directly mitigate this type of security threat within Cloud X?

• A. Virtual Server A was subjected to a denial of service attack that can be mitigated by implementing the encryption and digital signature mechanisms.
• B. Virtual Server A was subjected to an insufficient authorization attack that can be mitigated by implementing the digital signature and hardened virtual server image mechanisms.
• C. Virtual Server A was subjected to a denial of service attack that can be mitigated by implementing the hardened virtual server image and identity and access management mechanisms.
• D. Virtual Server A was subjected to an insufficient authorization attack that can be mitigated by implementing the single sign-on mechanism.