Question 20
Domain 3: Infrastructure, Network, and Workload SecurityAn organization is adopting serverless functions in the cloud. Which security consideration is UNIQUE to serverless computing compared to traditional virtual machines?
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Serverless functions run as discrete, event-driven units, so security must focus on “function-level permissions” rather than VM-wide controls. “Cold start security” is also unique because functions may initialize on demand, creating a brief startup window that does not exist in always-on traditional virtual machines.
Why each option is right or wrong
A. Network firewall configuration
B. Function-level permissions and cold start security
Serverless platforms expose security at the function boundary, so the relevant control is the IAM policy attached to each function invocation path rather than a VM-wide hardening model; for example, AWS Lambda permissions are governed by IAM and resource-based policies under the shared-responsibility model, not by managing an operating system instance. The cold-start issue is also specific to on-demand execution: when a function is initialized after being idle, its runtime, dependencies, and secrets are loaded at invocation time, creating a transient startup window that does not exist with continuously running virtual machines.
C. Operating system patching
D. Hardware security module integration