easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
CAS-004 Practice Question: A security architect is designing a web…
A security architect is designing a web application that handles sensitive customer data. The application must ensure that if one server is compromised, the attacker cannot access the private keys used for TLS termination. Which of the following approaches best meets this requirement?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers assume encrypting keys at rest (Option A) or using OS-level permissions (Option D) is sufficient, but the CAS-004 exam emphasizes that any software-based storage, even if encrypted, still exposes the key during runtime operations like TLS termination.
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
✓
Use a hardware security module (HSM) to generate and store the private keys, performing TLS termination on the HSM.
A Hardware Security Module (HSM) provides a dedicated, tamper-resistant cryptographic processor that generates, stores, and manages private keys in hardware, never exposing them to the application server's memory or filesystem. By performing TLS termination directly on the HSM, the private keys remain isolated even if the web server is compromised, meeting the requirement for key confidentiality.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Store the private keys in an encrypted database on a separate database server.
Why it's wrong here
The database server could be compromised, and the encryption key would need to be stored somewhere accessible.
- ✗
Use a software-based key vault that runs on the same operating system as the web server.
Why it's wrong here
A software vault on the same OS is still vulnerable to OS-level compromise.
- ✓
Use a hardware security module (HSM) to generate and store the private keys, performing TLS termination on the HSM.
Why this is correct
HSM provides tamper-resistant storage and performs cryptographic operations without exposing keys.
- ✗
Store the private keys in a local file with restricted permissions on the application server.
Why it's wrong here
Storing keys on the server allows an attacker who gains access to the server to read them.
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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.