CCSP Cloud Data Security Practice Question
An organization is implementing a data loss prevention (DLP) solution to protect sensitive data in cloud storage. Which TWO of the following are capabilities of a cloud DLP service? (Select TWO.)
⚠ Common exam trap
CCSP often tests whether candidates can distinguish DLP capabilities from adjacent security functions — the trap is selecting encryption key rotation or MFA enforcement as DLP features when DLP is specifically about data inspection and de-identification.
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
✓
De-identification transforms such as masking and tokenization
Option C is correct because cloud DLP services (such as Google Cloud DLP/Sensitive Data Protection) provide de-identification transforms including masking, tokenization, and format-preserving encryption to obfuscate sensitive values while preserving usability. Option D is correct because the core function of a cloud DLP service is inspecting data at rest or in transit to detect sensitive information types (SITs) such as credit card numbers, SSNs, and API keys using built-in or custom infoType detectors. Option A is not a DLP capability; encryption key rotation is handled by a key management service (KMS) such as Cloud KMS. Option B is not a DLP capability; MFA enforcement is an identity and access management function (e.g., IAM, MFA policies). Option E is not a DLP capability; automated backups are provided by storage or backup services, not by DLP inspection tooling.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Automatic encryption key rotation
Why it's wrong here
Key rotation belongs to the key management service, not DLP, which inspects, classifies and redacts data. DLP is tempting here because it also handles sensitive data in cloud storage, but its capabilities are content discovery, classification and policy enforcement rather than cryptographic key lifecycle operations.
- ✗
Enforcing multi-factor authentication
Why it's wrong here
Multi-factor authentication verifies user identity at sign-in; it neither inspects stored objects nor classifies or redacts sensitive content, so it cannot detect data exposure. It is tempting because it is a core cloud security control, and it would be correct for protecting privileged account access, not for DLP discovery.
- ✓
De-identification transforms such as masking and tokenization
Why this is correct
De-identification transforms such as masking and tokenisation irreversibly or reversibly obscure sensitive fields, a core DLP capability for protecting data at rest in cloud storage. They reduce exposure of regulated data while preserving usability for analytics or testing.
- ✓
Inspection of data for sensitive information types
Why this is correct
Cloud DLP services inspect stored and transmitted content, matching patterns such as credit card numbers, national insurance numbers and custom regexes to identify sensitive information types. This detection capability satisfies the stem's requirement for a genuine cloud DLP function.
- ✗
Automated backup of sensitive data
Why it's wrong here
Automated backup copies data for durability and recovery; it neither discovers nor protects sensitive content, so it is not a DLP capability. It is tempting because DLP findings often trigger remediation workflows that include backup or archival, but the DLP service itself performs inspection, classification and masking or redaction of sensitive data.
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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.