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CISA Practice Question: Migrating its on-premises data center to a public…
A company is migrating its on-premises data center to a public cloud provider. Which of the following is the MOST important control to implement before migration to ensure data security?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates choose a VPN (Option C) thinking it fully secures data during migration, but they overlook that encryption at rest is equally critical and that a VPN only protects data in transit, not after it is stored in the cloud.
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 data encryption at rest and in transit
Data encryption at rest and in transit is the most important control before migration because it protects sensitive data from exposure during the transfer process and after it is stored in the cloud. Without encryption, data could be intercepted over the network or accessed by unauthorized parties in the cloud provider's infrastructure. This control directly addresses the core risk of data leakage during and after migration, which is a fundamental security requirement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all cloud accounts
Why it's wrong here
MFA is important but does not directly protect the data itself.
- ✗
Deploy a cloud access security broker (CASB)
Why it's wrong here
CASB is for visibility and control, not a foundational control.
- ✗
Establish a virtual private network (VPN) between on-premises and cloud
Why it's wrong here
VPN secures the connection but does not protect data at rest.
- ✓
Implement data encryption at rest and in transit
Why this is correct
Encryption ensures data confidentiality and integrity during and after migration.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CISA practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISACA 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 CISA exam.