hardMultiple Choice
CCSP Practice Question: Deploying a new application that processes…
A company is deploying a new application that processes sensitive personal data. The cloud provider operates in a specific region that adheres to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The company requires that data never leave the region. Which combination of cloud architecture controls should be implemented?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the misconception that encryption alone ensures data residency, but encryption protects data confidentiality, not its geographic location, so candidates must recognize that data sovereignty requires explicit location-based controls rather than cryptographic measures.
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 data sovereignty policies, restrict geographic deployment to the region, and disable cross-region replication.
Data sovereignty policies explicitly enforce that data remains within a specific jurisdiction, restricting geographic deployment to the region ensures all cloud resources are provisioned only in that region, and disabling cross-region replication prevents any automated or manual data transfer to other regions. This combination directly addresses the GDPR requirement that data never leave the designated region, as it controls both resource placement and data movement at the infrastructure level.
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 a virtual private cloud (VPC) with a route table that only allows egress to the internet through a NAT gateway.
Why it's wrong here
A NAT gateway still routes traffic to the public internet, so data can leave the region; it governs outbound path, not residency. It is tempting because NAT gateways are standard for private-subnet egress, and would be right when outbound internet access is the requirement.
- ✓
Use data sovereignty policies, restrict geographic deployment to the region, and disable cross-region replication.
Why this is correct
Data sovereignty policies, region-restricted deployment and disabled cross-region replication together guarantee that personal data is stored and processed only within the GDPR-compliant region. Disabling replication specifically prevents provider-initiated copies from leaving the geographic boundary, satisfying the residency constraint.
- ✗
Use encryption at rest and in transit with keys stored in a cloud HSM.
Why it's wrong here
Encryption with cloud HSM keys protects confidentiality but places no constraint on where data is stored or replicated, so residency is not enforced. It is tempting because encryption is a core data-protection control, and would be right when the requirement is cryptographic protection rather than location.
- ✗
Use a cloud provider's CDN service to cache content within the region.
Why it's wrong here
A CDN caches content at edge locations that may sit outside the chosen region, so copies of data can leave it. It is tempting because CDNs reduce latency for regional users, and would be right when performance, not data residency, is the design driver.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
This CCSP question is part of Courseiva's 934-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 by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.