ISC Security Planning And Engineering Practice Question
You are designing a secure data enclave for highly sensitive research data. What is the most robust method to enforce physical and logical separation?
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
✓
Physical air-gapping and hardware-level encryption with HSMs.
Air-gapping (physical) combined with Hardware Security Modules (logical) provides the highest level of isolation for sensitive data.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Shared storage with ACLs.
Why it's wrong here
Shared storage is the least secure option for high-sensitivity data.
- ✓
Physical air-gapping and hardware-level encryption with HSMs.
Why this is correct
This provides both physical and cryptographic assurance.
- ✗
VLAN tagging and firewall rules.
Why it's wrong here
VLANs are logical, not physical, and can be bypassed.
- ✗
Container isolation with restricted network access.
Why it's wrong here
Container isolation is insufficient for high-security research data.
About these practice questions
This ISC question is part of Courseiva's 209-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed August 2026 · checked against the official (ISC)² exam blueprint
This ISC practice question is part of Courseiva's free (ISC)² 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 ISC exam.