Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) Practice Exam

What is the strongest way to protect sensitive customer data?

1. Encrypt data as it sits in your database.

2. Encrypt data as it travels over the network.

3. Encrypt data both as it sits in your database and as it travels over the network.

4. Use access controls to limit data exposure.

The correct answer is: Encrypt data both as it sits in your database and as it travels over the network.

The strongest way to protect sensitive customer data is to encrypt both data at rest and data in transit. By encrypting data while it sits in your database, you ensure that even if unauthorized access occurs, the information remains unreadable without the appropriate decryption keys. This protects sensitive information from being exposed through data breaches or unauthorized access to storage systems. Simultaneously, encrypting data while it travels over the network safeguards it from interception during transmission. This means that even if attackers try to capture the data as it moves across the network, they would only obtain encrypted information, which is much more difficult to exploit. Combining both methods provides a comprehensive security strategy, ensuring that sensitive data is protected at all stages of its lifecycle, whether it's stored or being transmitted. This dual-layered approach significantly enhances the security posture and reduces the risk of data breaches.