Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) — Question 190

When is a virtual machine susceptible to attacks while a physical server in the same state would not be?

Answer options

• A. When it is behind a WAF
• B. When it is behind an IPS
• C. When it is not patched
• D. When it is powered off

Correct answer: D

Explanation

A powered-off virtual machine can still be targeted by attackers through its virtualization layer, making it more susceptible to attacks compared to a physical server that is powered off. In contrast, a physical server that is turned off is not active and cannot be attacked. The other options involve active defenses or conditions that do not specifically relate to the vulnerability of the VM in the same context.