CCSP Cloud Data Security Practice Question
A multinational corporation uses a cloud-based data lake to store aggregated analytics data. The security team needs to ensure that data subjects can exercise their right to erasure under GDPR, even when data is replicated across multiple cloud regions and stored in immutable backups. Which strategy best addresses this requirement?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that deleting data from primary storage fulfills erasure, ignoring immutable backups and cross-region replicas.
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 encrypting each data subject's records with a unique key and destroying that key upon erasure request.
Crypto-shredding is the most effective way to satisfy erasure requests when data is replicated and backed up immutably. By destroying the unique key for a data subject, the ciphertext becomes useless, achieving erasure without needing to locate and delete every copy. This approach is scalable and works across regions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Store all personal data in a single cloud region to simplify deletion and avoid cross-region replication issues.
Why it's wrong here
Consolidating data in one region may reduce complexity but does not solve the problem of immutable backups or replicas within that region. GDPR applies regardless of where data is stored, and backups may still contain data. This approach also may conflict with data residency or availability requirements.
- ✓
Use crypto-shredding by encrypting each data subject's records with a unique key and destroying that key upon erasure request.
Why this is correct
Crypto-shredding makes data unrecoverable by destroying the unique encryption key, even if ciphertext remains in backups or replicas. This effectively satisfies the right to erasure because the data cannot be decrypted. It works across regions and immutable backups without needing to physically delete every copy.
- ✗
Anonymize the data by removing direct identifiers, then consider the erasure request fulfilled.
Why it's wrong here
Anonymization can remove personal data from GDPR scope, but true anonymization is difficult and must be irreversible. If the data can be re-identified, it remains personal data and the erasure request is not fulfilled. Simply removing direct identifiers may not be sufficient if indirect identifiers remain.
- ✗
Implement a centralized deletion workflow that removes the data from all primary storage and waits for backup retention periods to expire.
Why it's wrong here
Waiting for backup retention periods to expire does not provide timely erasure; data remains in backups for the retention duration. GDPR requires erasure without undue delay, so this approach may not comply. It also does not address replicas in other regions that may have different retention policies.
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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.