CCSP Cloud Data Security Practice Question
An organization must implement encryption for data in transit between its on-premises data center and a cloud provider. The data is sensitive and the organization requires a dedicated, encrypted tunnel. Which solution should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is confusing data-in-transit encryption methods (TLS, client-side encryption) with a dedicated tunnel solution (VPN), causing candidates to pick a less comprehensive option that doesn't meet the 'dedicated tunnel' 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
✓
VPN connection
A VPN connection provides a dedicated, encrypted tunnel between the on-premises data center and the cloud provider, ensuring data in transit is protected. It uses protocols like IPsec or SSL/TLS to encrypt all traffic, meeting the requirement for a dedicated encrypted tunnel for sensitive data.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Client-side encryption before upload
Why it's wrong here
Client-side encryption protects data before it leaves the host, but it provides no dedicated tunnel between the data centre and the provider; traffic still traverses shared public paths. It is tempting because it secures payload confidentiality, and would be correct when the threat is the cloud provider or storage service reading the data.
- ✗
TLS 1.2 for API communication
Why it's wrong here
TLS secures individual API calls, not a dedicated tunnel for bulk data transfer.
- ✓
VPN connection
Why this is correct
A VPN connection builds an encrypted tunnel over the public internet between the on-premises data centre and the cloud provider, satisfying the requirement for encryption in transit. Site-to-site IPsec VPNs provide the dedicated, encrypted tunnel specified, unlike TLS alone, which secures individual application sessions rather than the whole network path.
- ✗
Cloud KMS for key exchange
Why it's wrong here
A cloud KMS manages and stores encryption keys; it does not itself encrypt network traffic or establish a tunnel between on-premises and cloud. It is tempting because KMS is central to encryption architectures, and would be correct when the requirement is generating, rotating and controlling keys used by other services.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
Go deeper
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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.