Which is a common cloud security threat and its corresponding mitigation?

• A. Misconfigurations are impossible to mitigate.
• B. Insecure APIs are mitigated primarily by network isolation.
• C. Misconfigurations mitigated by automation and baseline configs; insecure APIs mitigated by strong authentication and API gateways; insider threats mitigated by least privilege and monitoring.
• D. Insider threats cannot be mitigated in cloud environments.

Answer: (C)

In cloud security, addressing common threats relies on targeted controls that match the risk. Misconfigurations are best handled by automation and baseline configurations, which enforce known-good settings and reduce human error. Insecure APIs require strong authentication and the use of API gateways to enforce access controls and policies, rather than relying on network boundaries alone. Insider threats are mitigated by applying least privilege and continuous monitoring to detect and respond to anomalous behavior.

This combination matches real-world safeguards: automation and baselines continuously push configurations toward a secure state; strong authentication plus API gateways protect API access; and least-privilege access with monitoring helps catch and limit insider misuse. The other options propose impossible or incomplete mitigations—for example, saying misconfigurations cannot be mitigated, or that API security is resolved solely by network isolation, or that insider threats cannot be mitigated—yet these statements overlook established cloud security practices.