- A
Azure Disk Encryption (ADE) with a Key Encryption Key (KEK)
Why wrong: ADE does encrypt disks but operates inside the VM, requiring additional configuration and agent installation. SSE-CMK is the native disk encryption service for managed disks and provides the same revocation capability without VM overhead.
- B
Server-side encryption with customer-managed keys (SSE-CMK)
SSE-CMK encrypts managed disks at rest using a CMK. When the key is disabled or deleted, the disk becomes inaccessible, meeting the revocation requirement without additional steps.
- C
Azure Storage Service Encryption (SSE) with platform-managed keys
Why wrong: SSE with platform-managed keys encrypts at rest using Microsoft-managed keys. It does not allow customer control or key revocation, so it does not meet the requirement.
- D
Azure Key Vault soft-delete and purge protection
Why wrong: Soft-delete and purge protection protect the key from accidental deletion but do not configure encryption on the disks. They are prerequisites for SSE-CMK but not the feature itself.
Quick Answer
The answer is server-side encryption with customer-managed keys (SSE-CMK). This feature encrypts Azure Managed Disks at rest using a key you control in Azure Key Vault, and when that key is disabled or deleted, Azure automatically revokes access by failing all I/O operations to the disk, making it immediately inaccessible. On the AZ-500 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how SSE-CMK differs from platform-managed keys or Azure Disk Encryption (ADE), which uses BitLocker and does not provide automatic access revocation upon key loss. A common trap is confusing SSE-CMK with ADE, but remember that only SSE-CMK ties disk access directly to the key’s availability in Key Vault. Memory tip: “Disable the key, disable the disk” — SSE-CMK enforces automatic revocation by design.
AZ-500 Secure compute, storage, and databases Practice Question
This AZ-500 practice question tests your understanding of secure compute, storage, and databases. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 company uses Azure Managed Disks for their virtual machines. They want to ensure that all managed disks are encrypted at rest using a customer-managed key (CMK) stored in Azure Key Vault. They also want to automatically revoke access to the disks if the key is disabled or deleted. Which feature should they configure?
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
Server-side encryption with customer-managed keys (SSE-CMK)
Server-side encryption with customer-managed keys (SSE-CMK) encrypts Azure Managed Disks at rest using a key stored in Azure Key Vault. When the key is disabled or deleted, Azure automatically revokes access to the disk by failing any I/O operations that require that key, ensuring the disk becomes inaccessible. This directly meets the requirement for both CMK-based encryption and automatic access revocation upon key loss.
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.
- ✗
Azure Disk Encryption (ADE) with a Key Encryption Key (KEK)
Why it's wrong here
ADE does encrypt disks but operates inside the VM, requiring additional configuration and agent installation. SSE-CMK is the native disk encryption service for managed disks and provides the same revocation capability without VM overhead.
- ✓
Server-side encryption with customer-managed keys (SSE-CMK)
Why this is correct
SSE-CMK encrypts managed disks at rest using a CMK. When the key is disabled or deleted, the disk becomes inaccessible, meeting the revocation requirement without additional steps.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Azure Storage Service Encryption (SSE) with platform-managed keys
Why it's wrong here
SSE with platform-managed keys encrypts at rest using Microsoft-managed keys. It does not allow customer control or key revocation, so it does not meet the requirement.
- ✗
Azure Key Vault soft-delete and purge protection
Why it's wrong here
Soft-delete and purge protection protect the key from accidental deletion but do not configure encryption on the disks. They are prerequisites for SSE-CMK but not the feature itself.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse Azure Disk Encryption (ADE) with server-side encryption (SSE-CMK), mistakenly thinking ADE provides automatic access revocation when the key is disabled, whereas ADE only encrypts at the guest OS level and does not enforce platform-level access control based on key state.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, SSE-CMK for managed disks uses envelope encryption where the disk encryption key (DEK) is encrypted by a customer-managed key encryption key (KEK) stored in Azure Key Vault. When the KEK is disabled or deleted, Azure's storage fabric immediately fails any new I/O requests that require decrypting the DEK, effectively making the disk unreadable. This behavior is enforced at the Azure Resource Manager control plane and the storage cluster level, not at the guest OS, ensuring revocation is immediate and irreversible.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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.
- →
Secure compute, storage, and databases — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Secure compute, storage, and databases practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All AZ-500 questions
1,000 questions across all exam domains
- →
Microsoft Azure Security Engineer Associate AZ-500 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
AZ-500 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related AZ-500 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Secure identity and access practice questions
Practise AZ-500 questions linked to Secure identity and access.
Secure compute, storage, and databases practice questions
Practise AZ-500 questions linked to Secure compute, storage, and databases.
Secure Azure using Microsoft Defender for Cloud and Microsoft Sentinel practice questions
Practise AZ-500 questions linked to Secure Azure using Microsoft Defender for Cloud and Microsoft Sentinel.
Manage identity and access practice questions
Practise AZ-500 questions linked to Manage identity and access.
Secure networking practice questions
Practise AZ-500 questions linked to Secure networking.
AZ-500 fundamentals practice questions
Practise AZ-500 questions linked to AZ-500 fundamentals.
AZ-500 scenario practice questions
Practise AZ-500 questions linked to AZ-500 scenario.
AZ-500 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise AZ-500 questions linked to AZ-500 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free AZ-500 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-500 question test?
Secure compute, storage, and databases — This question tests Secure compute, storage, and databases — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Server-side encryption with customer-managed keys (SSE-CMK) — Server-side encryption with customer-managed keys (SSE-CMK) encrypts Azure Managed Disks at rest using a key stored in Azure Key Vault. When the key is disabled or deleted, Azure automatically revokes access to the disk by failing any I/O operations that require that key, ensuring the disk becomes inaccessible. This directly meets the requirement for both CMK-based encryption and automatic access revocation upon key loss.
What should I do if I get this AZ-500 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This AZ-500 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft 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 AZ-500 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.