ISC2 CC Security Principles Practice Question
Which of the following is classified as sensitive PII?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is assuming any personal identifier is 'sensitive' — candidates pick date of birth or email because they are personal, but the exam expects recognition that health, financial, and biometric data are the sensitive categories.
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
✓
Medical records
Sensitive PII is data that, if disclosed, could cause harm or discrimination — medical records qualify because they contain health information protected under HIPAA and similar regulations. Sensitive PII typically includes health data, financial account numbers, Social Security numbers, and biometric data. Email address, telephone number, and date of birth are considered non-sensitive PII because they are publicly available or low-risk in isolation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Medical records
Why this is correct
Medical records combine health information with identifying details, forming sensitive PII whose exposure causes harm or discrimination. Unlike names or email addresses alone, health data attracts stricter legal protection, making it the sensitive category here.
- ✗
Email address
Why it's wrong here
An email address is ordinary PII, not sensitive PII, which covers data such as racial origin, health, biometrics or criminal records. It is tempting because email uniquely identifies a person, and it would be the right classification when the question asks for personal data generally rather than the sensitive subcategory.
- ✗
Telephone number
Why it's wrong here
A telephone number is classified as non-sensitive PII because it identifies but does not reveal protected attributes such as health, financial or biometric data. It is tempting because it is personal data, and would be correct if the question asked for an example of PII generally rather than sensitive PII.
- ✗
Date of birth
Why it's wrong here
A date of birth is ordinary PII; sensitive PII covers categories such as health data, racial or ethnic origin, biometrics and criminal records. It tempts because birth dates combine with names for identity theft, and it would be correct where the question asks for personal data rather than the sensitive classification.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Risk Management and Security Controls
Key term
Isolation
Isolation is the process of separating a compromised or suspicious system from a network to prevent the spread of malware or unauthorized access.
Key term
Risk
Risk is the possibility that an event or action will negatively affect an organization's ability to achieve its goals, often measured in terms of likelihood and impact.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISC2 exam blueprint
This CC practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CC exam.