Question 204 of 919
DP-300 Implement a secure environment Practice Question
Your Azure SQL Database contains sensitive customer data. You need to implement column-level encryption so that only authorized users can read specific columns. The encryption must be managed by the application, not the database. What should you use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse dynamic data masking with encryption, or assume TDE provides column-level control, but the key differentiator is that Always Encrypted keeps encryption keys client-side, fulfilling the 'managed by the application' 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
✓
Implement Always Encrypted with column master key stored in Azure Key Vault.
Always Encrypted is the correct choice because it ensures that sensitive data is encrypted at the column level and that the encryption keys are never revealed to the database engine. By storing the column master key in Azure Key Vault and using client-side encryption, the application manages the encryption and decryption process, so only authorized users with access to the key can read the plaintext data. This meets the requirement that encryption be managed by the application, not the database.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Implement Always Encrypted with column master key stored in Azure Key Vault.
Why this is correct
Always Encrypts ensures column-level encryption and that the database never sees plaintext.
- ✗
Use dynamic data masking to obfuscate the sensitive columns for unauthorized users.
Why it's wrong here
Data masking does not encrypt data; it only hides it from query results.
- ✗
Use Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) with customer-managed keys in Azure Key Vault.
Why it's wrong here
TDE encrypts the entire database, not specific columns, and the database engine has access to the keys.
- ✗
Create a row-level security policy to restrict access to the sensitive rows.
Why it's wrong here
RLS filters rows, not columns, and does not encrypt data.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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