CompTIA CASP+ Practice Test

What is the main vulnerability associated with on-demand provisioning to cloud providers for short-term computing jobs?

1. Data leaks during transfer

2. Traces of proprietary data on the virtual machine

3. Access control misconfigurations

4. Shared resource risks

The correct answer is: Traces of proprietary data on the virtual machine

The main vulnerability associated with on-demand provisioning to cloud providers for short-term computing jobs is traces of proprietary data on the virtual machine. This is particularly relevant in environments where multiple users or companies may share the same physical infrastructure. When a cloud instance or virtual machine is created, any data or configurations that were previously present on that instance may not be completely wiped before it is reallocated to a new user. This residual data can potentially include sensitive information such as proprietary algorithms, customer data, or business strategies that were part of the previous user's workload. If a new user accesses that same virtual machine without adequate data destruction measures in place, they may inadvertently gain access to that residual data, leading to data leaks and intellectual property theft. This risk underscores the importance of proper data management and security practices in a cloud environment, particularly in ensuring that any virtual machines are thoroughly cleaned of previous user data before being repurposed. This highlights the need for organizations to enforce strict policies regarding virtual machine provisioning and de-provisioning, to ensure that proprietary data does not remain on shared resources.