hardMultiple Select
PT0-002 Practice Question: Which TWO of the following actions are…
Which TWO of the following actions are appropriate when handling personally identifiable information (PII) discovered during a penetration test?
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
✓
Securely delete any PII that is not required for reporting
Option C is correct because data minimization is a core PII-handling principle: any PII collected during testing that is not strictly needed to demonstrate the finding should be securely deleted (e.g., using secure wipe or cryptographic erasure) rather than retained, reducing the client's breach exposure and legal liability. Option D is correct because when evidence must be shown, PII should be redacted or masked (e.g., replacing characters with asterisks or blurring fields in screenshots) so the report proves access without exposing the actual data subjects' identities. Option A is wrong because embedding raw PII in a report unnecessarily propagates sensitive data to additional systems and readers, violating minimization and confidentiality obligations. Option B is wrong because transferring PII to another storage location still retains and duplicates the data beyond what reporting requires, expanding the attack surface. Option E is wrong because replacing real PII with fabricated data alters the evidence and can misrepresent what was actually found, undermining the report's integrity.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Include raw PII in the report as proof of access
Why it's wrong here
Embedding raw PII in a report exposes personal data to every reader and breaches data protection obligations; reports should reference findings with redacted or tokenised evidence. It is tempting because raw values appear to strengthen proof of access, but the same proof is achievable without disclosing the actual identifiers.
- ✗
Transfer PII to the client's secure storage for inclusion in the report
Why it's wrong here
Penetration test reports must not embed live PII; findings are reported as redacted evidence or hashes. Copying PII into client storage creates a second uncontrolled data set outside the agreed scope and retention terms. Secure transfer is legitimate for authorised data-migration engagements, not for test artefacts.
- ✓
Securely delete any PII that is not required for reporting
Why this is correct
Securely deleting PII not needed for reporting enforces data minimisation, reducing the retention footprint and breach risk after the engagement. Retaining only what the report requires limits the tester's liability and aligns with privacy regulations governing personal data handling.
- ✓
Redact or mask PII in screenshots and logs before inclusion
Why this is correct
Masking or redacting PII in screenshots and logs prevents unnecessary exposure of personal data in the final report, satisfying data minimisation and confidentiality obligations. The evidence still demonstrates the finding while limiting the blast radius if the report is later shared or stored insecurely.
- ✗
Anonymize PII by replacing with fake data in the report
Why it's wrong here
Replacing PII with fabricated values alters the evidence and can misrepresent findings; redaction or masking preserves the proof while removing identifiers. It is tempting because anonymisation sounds privacy-preserving, but substituting fake data is data falsification, not anonymisation, and breaches reporting integrity.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
IDOR and Broken Access Control
Key term
Liability
Liability in IT refers to the legal and financial responsibility an organization or individual bears for data breaches, security failures, or compliance violations arising from inadequate planning and scoping of systems and processes.
Key term
Evidence
Evidence is any data or documentation that proves an event, action, or condition occurred, crucial for verifying compliance, security incidents, or system changes.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PT0-003 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 PT0-003 exam.