hardMultiple Choice
CAS-004 Practice Question: Protect its intellectual property stored on a…
A company wants to protect its intellectual property stored on a file server. The security architect proposes implementing rights management services (RMS) integrated with Active Directory. Which attack is this architecture primarily designed to mitigate?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse data-at-rest protection (e.g., file server encryption) with data-in-use protection (RMS), leading them to incorrectly select malware or buffer overflow options, which are server-level threats rather than content-level distribution threats.
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
✓
Unauthorized distribution of sensitive documents outside the organization
Rights Management Services (RMS) integrated with Active Directory enables persistent protection of documents by encrypting them and enforcing usage policies (e.g., who can open, print, or forward) regardless of where the file resides. This architecture is specifically designed to prevent unauthorized distribution of sensitive documents outside the organization because the protection travels with the file and requires authentication to an RMS server for decryption, even if the file is copied or emailed externally.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Unauthorized distribution of sensitive documents outside the organization
Why this is correct
Rights management encrypts documents and binds access permissions to Active Directory identities, so files remain protected even after leaving the network perimeter. This directly mitigates unauthorised distribution, since recipients outside the organisation cannot decrypt or open the protected intellectual property.
- ✗
Phishing attacks targeting user credentials
Why it's wrong here
Rights management encrypts content and binds usage permissions to a user identity, so stolen credentials alone cannot decrypt protected files without the associated rights. Phishing credential theft is countered by multifactor authentication and conditional access, not by RMS, which addresses post-authentication data leakage rather than credential compromise.
- ✗
Malware infection on the file server
Why it's wrong here
RMS protects data through encryption and permission enforcement, not by detecting or removing malicious code. Malware on the file server is mitigated by endpoint protection, application control and patching. RMS would be the right choice when the concern is unauthorised copying or forwarding of sensitive files by legitimate users.
- ✗
Buffer overflow attack on the file server
Why it's wrong here
RMS enforces persistent usage restrictions on documents after they leave the server; it does not inspect memory or validate input, so it cannot stop a buffer overflow in the file server service. Buffer overflow attacks are mitigated by patching, memory-safe code and exploit protection such as DEP and ASLR.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CAS-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 CAS-005 exam.