In the context of the Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) and ISO/IEC 17788 standards, Cloud Service Capabilities define the specific functionality and resources a cloud provider offers to a customer. These capabilities represent the logical distinct groupings of functionality which dictat…In the context of the Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) and ISO/IEC 17788 standards, Cloud Service Capabilities define the specific functionality and resources a cloud provider offers to a customer. These capabilities represent the logical distinct groupings of functionality which dictate the 'Shared Responsibility Model' regarding security and management.
There are three primary capability types:
1. **Infrastructure Capabilities Type:** Aligning with Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), this capability provides the customer with fundamental computing resources including processing power, storage, and networking. The customer can deploy and run arbitrary software, which can include operating systems and applications. The customer manages the OS and above, while the provider secures the physical hardware and virtualization layer.
2. **Platform Capabilities Type:** Aligning with Platform as a Service (PaaS), this capability allows the customer to deploy consumer-created or acquired applications using programming languages, libraries, services, and tools supported by the provider. The customer does not manage the underlying cloud infrastructure (network, servers, OS) or storage, but has control over the deployed applications and possibly configuration settings for the application-hosting environment.
3. **Application Capabilities Type:** Aligning with Software as a Service (SaaS), the capability provided is the use of the provider’s applications running on a cloud infrastructure. accessible via client devices (e.g., web browsers). The consumer controls almost no underlying structure, managing only limited user-specific application configuration settings and user access controls.
From an architectural and design perspective, selecting the correct capability type is critical as it determines the level of abstraction, flexibility, and the volume of security controls the organization must engineer and maintain versus those inherited from the provider.
CCSP Guide: Cloud Service Capabilities in Architecture and Design
What are Cloud Service Capabilities? In the context of the CCSP and cloud architecture, Cloud Service Capabilities refer to the specific distinct functionalities and resources provided to the cloud consumer based on the chosen service model. While often referred to as the SPI Model (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS), the focus here is on what the provider allows the customer to do versus what the provider manages. These capabilities define the boundary lines for the Shared Responsibility Model.
Why is this Important? Understanding service capabilities is the foundation of cloud security. You cannot secure an environment if you do not understand the limits of your control. It is important because: 1. Security Governance: It dictates which security controls the customer must implement versus which controls they must verify through third-party audits (like SOC 2 reports). 2. Compliance: It determines who is responsible for data protection at different layers of the ISO/OSI stack. 3. Cost Management: It defines what resources are billed and how they are metered.
How it Works: The Capability Stack The capabilities are generally categorized into three primary tiers, each offering a different level of abstraction:
1. IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) Capabilities The capability to provision. The consumer is able to provision processing, storage, networks, and other fundamental computing resources. The consumer includes the operating system and applications. Consumer Control: OS, Storage, Installed Applications, Host Firewall. Provider Control: Physical Datacenter, Physical Network, Hypervisor.
2. PaaS (Platform as a Service) Capabilities The capability to deploy. The consumer creates applications using programming languages, libraries, services, and tools supported by the provider. The consumer does not manage the underlying infrastructure (network, servers, OS) but has control over the deployed applications and possibly configuration settings for the application-hosting environment. Consumer Control: Data, Application Logic. Provider Control: Host OS, Runtime Environment, Hardware.
3. SaaS (Software as a Service) Capabilities The capability to use. The consumer uses the provider’s applications running on a cloud infrastructure. The applications are accessible from various client devices through either a thin client interface (like a web browser) or a program interface. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including network, servers, operating systems, storage, or even individual application capabilities, with the possible exception of limited user-specific application configuration settings. Consumer Control: Data access policies, Identity Management (IAM), Configuration. Provider Control: Everything else (Full Stack).
How to Answer Exam Questions To answer questions regarding Cloud Service Capabilities correctly on the CCSP exam, follow this logic flow: 1. Identify the Asset: Is the question asking about a Firewall? A Database? Or a User Account? 2. Identify the Model: Based on the scenario, are they renting the server (IaaS), the runtime (PaaS), or the software (SaaS)? 3. Map the Capability: Who has the capability to change the configuration of that asset in that specific model?
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Cloud service capabilities
Tip 1: Watch for "Provision" vs. "Deploy" vs. "Use" These verbs are distinct triggers. If the scenario says the administrator needs to install an OS, it is an IaaS capability question. If they need to upload code, it is PaaS. If they need to configure user permissions on a CRM, it is SaaS.
Tip 2: The "Management" Trap Questions often ask who is responsible for "Security Management." The answer depends entirely on the layer. If the question asks about Physical Security capabilities, the answer is always the Cloud Provider, regardless of the service model. If the question asks about Data Classification, the answer is always the Cloud Consumer.
Tip 3: Scope of Control Remember that capabilities are inverse to ease of use. IaaS offers the maximum capability to customize the environment but requires the highest operational effort. SaaS offers the minimum capability to customize but requires the least operational overhead. If a question describes a scenario needing a highly customized kernel configuration, the answer must involve IaaS capabilities.