Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

In the context of cloud security, what does the term 'privileged access' refer to?

1. Access to public cloud resources

2. Limited user access to sensitive data

3. Access granted to users with elevated permissions

4. Access restricted to enterprise network only

The correct answer is: Access granted to users with elevated permissions

Privileged access refers specifically to access granted to users with elevated permissions. This type of access goes beyond that which is typically afforded to regular users, allowing individuals to perform sensitive actions, such as modifying system settings, accessing critical data, or managing user accounts and permissions. In a cloud environment, maintaining strict control over privileged access is essential to prevent unauthorized users from compromising the integrity, availability, or confidentiality of resources and data. Proper management of privileged access helps organizations safeguard against potential security breaches that could arise from misuse of these elevated permissions. The other options do not accurately capture this concept; for instance, access to public cloud resources generally applies to all users or the general public, not specifically to those with elevated permissions. Limited user access to sensitive data describes a different aspect of security related to data protection, while access restricted to an enterprise network focuses on network boundaries rather than the internal access controls based on user roles and permissions.