DEA-C01 Data Security and Governance Practice Question
A company uses AWS Glue DataBrew to clean and normalize data. The data contains sensitive columns that must be masked before being written to the output. Which DataBrew action should be applied?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Apply a Mask transform to the sensitive columns.
DataBrew provides a built-in 'Mask' transform that obfuscates sensitive data by applying masking patterns. Option A is incorrect because the Hash transform produces a hash value, which is not true masking as it can be reversed via brute force. Option B is incorrect because Encrypt is not a DataBrew transform; encryption is handled at the storage layer (e.g., S3 SSE). Option C is incorrect because Delete removes the column entirely, which may not be desired if the column is needed for analysis but just needs sensitive data hidden.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Apply a Hash transform to the sensitive columns.
Why it's wrong here
Wrong. The 'Hash' transform applies a cryptographic hash, not masking. Hashing is irreversible and changes the data format, whereas masking preserves format and is reversible for authorized users.
- ✗
Apply an Encrypt transform to the sensitive columns.
Why it's wrong here
Wrong. 'Encrypt' is not a built-in transform in AWS Glue DataBrew. Encryption is managed at the storage layer, not through DataBrew transforms.
- ✗
Apply a Delete transform to remove the sensitive columns.
Why it's wrong here
Wrong. The 'Delete' transform removes the entire column from the dataset, which does not satisfy the requirement to mask sensitive columns while keeping them in the output.
- ✓
Apply a Mask transform to the sensitive columns.
Why this is correct
Correct. The 'Mask' transform obfuscates sensitive data by replacing characters with a mask character (e.g., 'X'), preserving the column structure and data type.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
Go deeper
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This DEA-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DEA-C01 exam.