CompTIA Cloud+ (CV0-003) — Question 221

A cloud engineer has deployed a virtual storage appliance into a public cloud environment. The storage appliance has a NAT to a public IP address. An administrator later notices there are some strange files on the storage appliance and a large spike in network traffic on the machine. Which of the following is the most likely cause?

Answer options

• A. The default password is still configured on the appliance.
• B. The appliance’s certificate has expired.
• C. The storage appliance has no firewall.
• D. Data encryption is enabled, and the files are hashed.

Correct answer: A

Explanation

The correct answer is A because if the default password remains unchanged, it can be easily exploited by attackers, leading to unauthorized access and unusual files. Option B regarding the certificate expiration does not directly relate to the presence of strange files or traffic spikes. Option C, while a lack of a firewall is a security risk, does not specifically explain the presence of strange files. Option D about data encryption and hashing does not account for unauthorized access resulting in strange files.