CCSP Cloud Data Security Practice Question
A cloud security manager is implementing a data retention policy for a SaaS CRM that stores customer contact records. Regulations require that records be irreversibly destroyed after seven years, but the SaaS provider's recycle bin retains deleted records for 30 days and backups persist for 90 days. Which cloud data disposal approach best satisfies the regulatory requirement?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that deleting records through the application or asking the provider to delete them satisfies irreversible destruction, when residual backups and recycle bins can keep the data recoverable.
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
✓
Use crypto-shredding by deleting the per-tenant data encryption key and allowing key material to be destroyed after the retention period.
Crypto-shredding is the most reliable cloud disposal method when data may persist in backups, replicas, or provider recycle bins. By destroying the per-tenant encryption key after the seven-year retention period, the records become cryptographically unrecoverable regardless of residual copies. Logical deletion, provider attestations, and field overwrites do not guarantee irreversible destruction in a shared-responsibility SaaS environment.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Use crypto-shredding by deleting the per-tenant data encryption key and allowing key material to be destroyed after the retention period.
Why this is correct
Crypto-shredding renders data unrecoverable by destroying the keys that protect it, which is effective even when residual copies exist in backups or recycle bins. In this scenario, the provider's recycle bin and backup retention windows mean logical deletion alone is insufficient, so destroying the per-tenant key after seven years ensures the records cannot be reconstructed, satisfying the irreversible destruction requirement.
- ✗
Overwrite the CRM database fields containing contact records with null values using the provider's bulk update API.
Why it's wrong here
Overwriting fields with nulls changes the logical record but does not remove prior versions, transaction logs, or backup copies. In a multi-tenant SaaS environment, the underlying storage and journaling layers may retain the original values, so the data remains recoverable. This method fails the irreversibility requirement and could also corrupt referential integrity in the CRM, causing operational issues.
- ✗
Configure the SaaS recycle bin to empty automatically every 30 days and rely on the provider's backup expiration after 90 days.
Why it's wrong here
This approach only shortens the window during which records remain recoverable; it does not guarantee irreversible destruction at the seven-year mark. Because the provider still holds backups and may retain metadata beyond stated periods, the organization cannot demonstrate compliance with a strict destruction mandate. Logical deletion without key destruction leaves recoverable copies that could surface during legal discovery or a provider breach.
- ✗
Issue a formal written request to the SaaS provider asking them to delete all customer records and confirm completion in a service report.
Why it's wrong here
A written deletion request and provider attestation are useful governance steps but do not technically guarantee irreversible destruction. The provider may still retain records in immutable backups, disaster recovery replicas, or archival tiers that are not covered by the confirmation. Without a cryptographic or verifiable technical control, the organization cannot prove the data is unrecoverable, leaving a compliance gap.
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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 CCSP 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 CCSP exam.