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CCSP Practice Question: Encrypt data at rest in a cloud object storage…
A company wants to encrypt data at rest in a cloud object storage service. They require that the cloud provider has no access to the encryption keys. Which key management approach should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse 'customer-managed keys' (CMK) with 'client-side encryption,' assuming that storing keys in a cloud HSM (A) prevents provider access, but the CCSP exam emphasizes that server-side encryption inherently involves the provider's infrastructure in the encryption process, which violates the 'no access' requirement.
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
✓
Client-side encryption
Client-side encryption (B) is the correct approach because the data is encrypted before it is sent to the cloud provider, ensuring that the cloud provider never has access to the plaintext data or the encryption keys. With server-side encryption, even if the keys are customer-managed and stored in a cloud HSM (A), the encryption and decryption operations occur on the provider's infrastructure, meaning the provider's software stack could theoretically access the keys or plaintext. Options C and D also involve server-side operations, where the cloud provider manages or processes the keys, violating the requirement that the provider has no access to the keys.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Server-side encryption with customer-managed keys stored in a cloud HSM
Why it's wrong here
Cloud HSM stores keys but still accessible by cloud provider if compromised.
- ✓
Client-side encryption
Why this is correct
Encryption happens on the client side; cloud provider never sees the keys.
- ✗
Server-side encryption with cloud-managed keys
Why it's wrong here
Cloud provider manages the keys, so they have access.
- ✗
Server-side encryption with envelope encryption
Why it's wrong here
Envelope encryption still uses cloud keys for the key encryption key.
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This CCSP question is part of Courseiva's 964-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.