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Quick Answer
The correct answer is to implement Always Encrypted with column-level encryption, enforce TLS 1.2 or higher, and configure the Azure SQL Database firewall to block public endpoints. Always Encrypted protects sensitive columns from privileged users like DBAs by encrypting data on the client side, ensuring encryption keys are never exposed to the database engine, which prevents even database administrators from viewing plaintext PII. Enforcing TLS 1.2 or higher meets the requirement for encryption on the wire, safeguarding data in transit against interception. On the AZ-500 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of defense-in-depth for Azure SQL, where the common trap is to confuse Always Encrypted with Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)—remember that TDE protects data at rest but does not prevent privileged users from reading columns. The firewall restriction adds network-layer control, reducing the attack surface. A helpful memory tip is “Client, Wire, Wall”: client-side encryption, encrypted wire protocol, and a network wall to block unauthorized access.
AZ-500 Secure compute, storage, and databases Practice Question
This AZ-500 practice question tests your understanding of secure compute, storage, and databases. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
You are securing an Azure SQL Database that contains personally identifiable information (PII). The solution must prevent unauthorized access to sensitive columns by privileged users (e.g., DBAs) and ensure that data is encrypted on the wire. Which three of the following should you implement? (Choose three.)
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
✓
Enable Always Encrypted with column-level encryption for the sensitive PII columns.
Always Encrypted with column-level encryption is correct because it ensures that sensitive PII columns are encrypted at the client side and the encryption keys are never revealed to the database engine, preventing privileged users like DBAs from reading the plaintext data. Configuring the Azure SQL Database firewall to block public endpoints and allow only specific virtual network subnets is correct because it restricts network access to trusted sources, reducing the attack surface. Enforcing TLS 1.2 or higher for all client connections is correct because it ensures data is encrypted in transit, protecting against man-in-the-middle attacks and meeting the requirement for encryption on the wire.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) with Always Encrypted, thinking TDE protects against privileged user access, but TDE only protects data at rest and does not prevent DBAs from viewing plaintext data when queries are executed.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Always Encrypted uses two types of keys: a column encryption key (CEK) that encrypts the data, and a column master key (CMK) stored in Azure Key Vault or Windows Certificate Store. The client driver performs encryption and decryption, so the database engine only sees ciphertext. For TLS enforcement, Azure SQL Database supports TLS 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2, but you can set a server-level firewall rule or use the 'minimal TLS version' property to require TLS 1.2, which is specified in RFC 5246 and is the current standard for secure transport.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
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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: Enable Always Encrypted with column-level encryption for the sensitive PII columns. — Always Encrypted with column-level encryption is correct because it ensures that sensitive PII columns are encrypted at the client side and the encryption keys are never revealed to the database engine, preventing privileged users like DBAs from reading the plaintext data. Configuring the Azure SQL Database firewall to block public endpoints and allow only specific virtual network subnets is correct because it restricts network access to trusted sources, reducing the attack surface. Enforcing TLS 1.2 or higher for all client connections is correct because it ensures data is encrypted in transit, protecting against man-in-the-middle attacks and meeting the requirement for encryption on the wire.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on AZ-500
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. You have an Azure SQL Database that contains sensitive customer data. You need to ensure that database administrators (DBAs) cannot view the data in the 'CreditCard' column. What should you implement?
medium- A.Enable Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) on the database.
- ✓ B.Use Always Encrypted with column encryption key stored in Azure Key Vault.
- C.Implement Azure SQL Auditing for the database.
- D.Configure Dynamic Data Masking for the 'CreditCard' column.
Why B: Dynamic Data Masking (DDM) obfuscates sensitive data to non-privileged users, while DBAs with elevated permissions can still see the unmasked data unless excluded. Option B is wrong because Always Encrypted protects data from DBAs. Option C is wrong because TDE encrypts at rest, not at query time. Option D is wrong because auditing tracks access but does not prevent viewing.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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