hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
CAS-004 Practice Question: During a security review, it is discovered that a…
During a security review, it is discovered that a critical application uses hardcoded cryptographic keys. The development team refactors the code to retrieve keys from a centralized key management system (KMS) using role-based access control. Which additional practice should be implemented to minimize the risk of key compromise?
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
✓
Implement key expiration and automated rotation
Rotation reduces the window of exposure if a key is compromised, and automating it ensures consistency.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Log every key access without rotation
Why it's wrong here
Logging helps detection but does not prevent ongoing use of a compromised key.
- ✗
Use a single, long key to reduce management overhead
Why it's wrong here
Single keys create a single point of failure and do not limit exposure.
- ✓
Implement key expiration and automated rotation
Why this is correct
Regularly rotating keys limits the time an attacker can use a compromised key.
- ✗
Store keys in a hardware security module only
Why it's wrong here
HSM is already implied by KMS, but rotation is still needed.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
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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.