In cloud computing, which approach is best suited for simultaneously managing security threats and optimising costs by identifying unusual activities?

• A. Threat Detection Systems
• B. Cloud Security Posture
• C. Auto Scaling
• D. Cloud Anomaly Detection

Answer: (C)

Detecting unusual activity in cloud environments is best approached with anomaly detection. This method models what normal behavior looks like across users, workloads, networks, and costs, and then flags deviations from that baseline. Those deviations can indicate security threats (like unusual login patterns or data transfers) as well as cost anomalies (unexpected spikes in resource usage), enabling timely alerts and mitigation or optimization actions.

Threat detection systems focus on known threat patterns and signatures, which can miss novel or evolving behaviors. Cloud security posture management emphasizes staying compliant with configurations rather than continuously detecting unusual activity in real time. Auto scaling adjusts resources in response to demand, improving performance and cost efficiency, but it does not identify or flag unusual activity for risk or waste detection. Cloud Anomaly Detection directly targets unusual patterns, making it the most suitable choice for both security threat detection and cost optimization.