This CCSP practice question tests your understanding of cloud data security. 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.
An organization is evaluating techniques to protect data while it is being processed in memory. The goal is to prevent unauthorized access even if the operating system or hypervisor is compromised. Which TWO techniques are suitable for protecting data in use?
Hashing
Why wrong: One-way function for integrity, not protection of data in use.
Data masking
Why wrong: Used to obfuscate data at rest or in transit.
Secure enclaves (e.g., Intel SGX)
Hardware-based isolation for code and data in memory.
Homomorphic encryption
Allows computation on encrypted data, protecting data in use.
Tokenization
Why wrong: Primarily used for data at rest replacement.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Secure enclaves (e.g., Intel SGX)
Secure enclaves, such as Intel SGX, provide hardware-enforced isolation by creating trusted execution environments (TEEs) that encrypt memory pages in use, protecting data even if the OS or hypervisor is compromised. This makes them suitable for protecting data in use because the CPU itself enforces access controls, preventing any privileged software from reading the enclave's memory.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Hashing
Why it's wrong here
One-way function for integrity, not protection of data in use.
Data masking
Why it's wrong here
Used to obfuscate data at rest or in transit.
Secure enclaves (e.g., Intel SGX)
Why this is correct
Hardware-based isolation for code and data in memory.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Homomorphic encryption
Why this is correct
Allows computation on encrypted data, protecting data in use.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Tokenization
Why it's wrong here
Primarily used for data at rest replacement.
Common exam traps
ISC2 often tests the distinction between 'data at rest' and 'data in use' protections, and candidates mistakenly choose hashing or tokenization because they associate them with security, but neither protects data during active processing in memory.
Detailed technical explanation
Intel SGX enclaves use a Memory Encryption Engine (MEE) to encrypt cache lines as they leave the CPU package, with integrity trees to prevent replay attacks. Homomorphic encryption allows computation on ciphertexts directly, producing encrypted results that decrypt to the correct output, but it is computationally expensive and not yet practical for most real-time workloads. In a real-world scenario, a cloud provider with physical access to the server cannot read data inside an SGX enclave, as the encryption keys are burned into the CPU and never exposed to software.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Cloud Data Security — This question tests Cloud Data Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Secure enclaves (e.g., Intel SGX) — Secure enclaves, such as Intel SGX, provide hardware-enforced isolation by creating trusted execution environments (TEEs) that encrypt memory pages in use, protecting data even if the OS or hypervisor is compromised. This makes them suitable for protecting data in use because the CPU itself enforces access controls, preventing any privileged software from reading the enclave's memory.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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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