- A
Implement cross-region read replicas with synchronous replication and enable encryption with a customer-managed key that is replicated to the disaster recovery region.
Synchronous replicas provide RPO of seconds and failover in minutes; customer-managed keys meet compliance.
- B
Store the backup in a different region using cross-region copy and use a cloud HSM to manage the encryption key.
Why wrong: Cross-region backup copies still require a restore, which is time-consuming, and HSM alone does not address RTO.
- C
Use cross-region asynchronous replication with a separate database instance and encrypt with a cloud-managed key.
Why wrong: Asynchronous replication may not meet RPO, and cloud-managed key does not meet future compliance.
- D
Increase the frequency of automated backups to every 30 minutes and use faster storage for the database restore process.
Why wrong: Faster storage may not reduce restore time enough, and backup frequency does not address restore time.
Quick Answer
The answer is to implement cross-region read replicas with synchronous replication and enable encryption with a customer-managed key replicated to the disaster recovery region. This is correct because synchronous replication ensures that every write to the primary database is immediately committed on the replica, achieving an RPO of effectively zero—far surpassing the 1-hour requirement—while promoting the replica to a primary instance can be done in minutes, easily meeting the 4-hour RTO. On the CCSP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how cross-region read replicas differ from backup-based recovery, specifically that synchronous replication eliminates the lag and restore time that plague automated backups. A common trap is assuming asynchronous replication or backup restores can meet tight RPOs, but only synchronous replication guarantees no data loss during a regional outage. The encryption requirement is addressed by using a customer-managed key (CMK) that you control and replicate to the DR region, ensuring compliance with audit and ownership mandates. Memory tip: “Sync for zero RPO, CMK for key control.”
CCSP Cloud Security Operations Practice Question
This CCSP practice question tests your understanding of cloud security operations. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A financial services company runs a critical application on a cloud infrastructure. The application consists of a web tier, an application tier, and a database tier, all deployed in a single cloud region. The database is a managed relational database service with automated backups enabled. The company's disaster recovery plan requires a Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of 4 hours and a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of 1 hour. During a recent regional outage, the primary region became unavailable for 6 hours. The company attempted to restore the database from the latest automated backup in a different region, but the restore took 5 hours due to the large database size, exceeding the RTO. Additionally, the backup was 2 hours old at the time of the outage, exceeding the RPO. The security team has also noted that the backup data is encrypted with a cloud-managed key, which may not meet future compliance requirements for customer-managed encryption keys. Which course of action should the company take to meet both the RTO and RPO objectives while also addressing the encryption requirement?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"primary"Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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
Implement cross-region read replicas with synchronous replication and enable encryption with a customer-managed key that is replicated to the disaster recovery region.
Option A is correct because cross-region read replicas with synchronous replication can provide a standby database in another region with an RPO of effectively zero (synchronous replication ensures no data loss) and an RTO measured in minutes (promote the replica to primary), meeting both the 4-hour RTO and 1-hour RPO. Using a customer-managed key (CMK) replicated to the DR region satisfies the compliance requirement for customer-managed encryption keys, as the key can be controlled and audited independently of the cloud provider.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Implement cross-region read replicas with synchronous replication and enable encryption with a customer-managed key that is replicated to the disaster recovery region.
Why this is correct
Synchronous replicas provide RPO of seconds and failover in minutes; customer-managed keys meet compliance.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Store the backup in a different region using cross-region copy and use a cloud HSM to manage the encryption key.
Why it's wrong here
Cross-region backup copies still require a restore, which is time-consuming, and HSM alone does not address RTO.
- ✗
Use cross-region asynchronous replication with a separate database instance and encrypt with a cloud-managed key.
Why it's wrong here
Asynchronous replication may not meet RPO, and cloud-managed key does not meet future compliance.
- ✗
Increase the frequency of automated backups to every 30 minutes and use faster storage for the database restore process.
Why it's wrong here
Faster storage may not reduce restore time enough, and backup frequency does not address restore time.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the distinction between synchronous and asynchronous replication in the context of RPO/RTO, and the trap here is that candidates assume cross-region backups or asynchronous replication can meet strict RPO/RTO targets, ignoring the inherent latency and restore time penalties.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Synchronous replication in a managed database service (e.g., AWS RDS Multi-AZ with cross-region read replicas using MySQL/PostgreSQL) writes to the primary and waits for acknowledgment from the replica before committing, ensuring zero data loss (RPO=0). Promoting a read replica to a standalone instance in the DR region typically takes 1-2 minutes, meeting the 4-hour RTO. Customer-managed keys (CMK) via services like AWS KMS with cross-region key replication allow the DR region to decrypt backups and replicas without relying on the primary region's key, which is critical during a regional outage.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CCSP question test?
Cloud Security Operations — This question tests Cloud Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Implement cross-region read replicas with synchronous replication and enable encryption with a customer-managed key that is replicated to the disaster recovery region. — Option A is correct because cross-region read replicas with synchronous replication can provide a standby database in another region with an RPO of effectively zero (synchronous replication ensures no data loss) and an RTO measured in minutes (promote the replica to primary), meeting both the 4-hour RTO and 1-hour RPO. Using a customer-managed key (CMK) replicated to the DR region satisfies the compliance requirement for customer-managed encryption keys, as the key can be controlled and audited independently of the cloud provider.
What should I do if I get this CCSP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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.
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