DP-300 Implement a secure environment Practice Question
You need to encrypt sensitive columns in an Azure SQL Database table so that data is encrypted at rest and in transit between the application and database. Which feature should you use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) as covering both at-rest and in-transit encryption, but TDE only encrypts data at rest on disk, not during network transmission or while in memory.
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
✓
Always Encrypted
Always Encrypted is the correct choice because it encrypts sensitive data both at rest in the database and in transit between the application and the database. It ensures that encryption keys are never revealed to the database engine, so data remains encrypted throughout the entire data path, including during query execution. This meets the requirement for encryption at rest and in transit.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Row-Level Security
Why it's wrong here
Row-Level Security filters which rows a user may read or write; it performs no cryptographic operation, so column data remains plaintext at rest and on the wire. It is tempting because it also restricts data access, and it would be correct when the requirement is per-user row filtering rather than encryption.
- ✗
Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)
Why it's wrong here
TDE encrypts data files and backups at rest, but it decrypts data at the database engine, so traffic between the application and Azure SQL Database remains unencrypted unless the connection itself is secured. It is tempting because it satisfies the at-rest half, yet the scenario also demands in-transit protection, which Always Encrypted provides.
- ✗
Dynamic Data Masking
Why it's wrong here
Dynamic Data Masking only obscures column values in query results for unprivileged users; the stored data stays plaintext and no encryption occurs in transit. It is tempting because it hides sensitive values from certain logins, and it would be correct when the requirement is limiting data exposure rather than encrypting it.
- ✓
Always Encrypted
Why this is correct
Always Encrypted keeps data encrypted at rest and in transit, with keys held outside Azure SQL Database. The client driver encrypts and decrypts values, so ciphertext never leaves the database engine unencrypted. This satisfies the stem's requirement for protection both at rest and between the application and database, unlike Transparent Data Encryption, which only covers data at rest.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Securing Data at Rest and in Transit
Key term
Azure SQL Performance Tuning
Azure SQL Performance Tuning is the process of optimizing the speed and efficiency of queries and database operations in Microsoft Azure SQL Database or SQL Managed Instance to reduce latency and improve throughput.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This DP-300 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 DP-300 exam.