CCSP Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security Practice Question
A company uses Azure Functions for serverless data processing. To securely access an Azure SQL database, which of the following is the most secure method for managing the database connection string?
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
✓
Reference the connection string from Azure Key Vault using a managed identity
Using managed identities and Azure Key Vault removes hardcoded secrets and provides automatic rotation and access control.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Embed the connection string in the function code and encrypt the code file
Why it's wrong here
Hardcoding secrets is insecure even if encrypted; key management is complex.
- ✗
Store the connection string as an environment variable in the function app settings
Why it's wrong here
Environment variables can be exposed in logs or via debugging; not the most secure.
- ✗
Use Azure Policy to enforce encryption of the connection string at rest
Why it's wrong here
Policy enforces rules but does not manage secret storage.
- ✓
Reference the connection string from Azure Key Vault using a managed identity
Why this is correct
Correct: Managed identity and Key Vault provide secure, auditable access.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
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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.