The answer is Azure Storage Service Encryption with customer-managed keys in Azure Key Vault. This solution is correct because it enables you to maintain your own key material in a managed HSM or Key Vault, enforce a 90-day rotation schedule, and ensure encryption at rest for Blob Storage data, all while retaining full control over the keys. On the Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between encryption scopes: Azure Disk Encryption applies only to VM disks, Microsoft-managed keys remove customer rotation control, and Azure Information Protection handles classification, not at-rest encryption. A common trap is confusing Azure Storage Service Encryption with customer-managed keys for disk-level encryption, but remember that Blob Storage requires the storage account’s encryption settings, not VM-level solutions. Memory tip: “Blobs need keys you own and rotate—think Key Vault, not disks or labels.”
SC-100 Practice Question: Design security solutions for applications and data
This SC-100 practice question tests your understanding of design security solutions for applications and data. 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.
Your organization stores sensitive data in Azure Blob Storage. You need to ensure that data is encrypted at rest and that the encryption keys are rotated every 90 days. You also need to maintain your own key material. Which solution should you use?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Azure Storage Service Encryption with customer-managed keys in Azure Key Vault
Azure Storage encryption with customer-managed keys in Azure Key Vault allows you to supply your own encryption keys and rotate them on your own schedule. Option A is wrong because Azure Disk Encryption is for VM disks, not Blob Storage. Option B is wrong because Azure Storage Service Encryption with Microsoft-managed keys does not allow customer control or rotation. Option D is wrong because Azure Information Protection is for classification and labeling, not encryption at rest.
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 Information Protection
Why it's wrong here
Azure Information Protection is for classifying and protecting documents and emails, not Azure Storage
✗
Azure Storage Service Encryption with Microsoft-managed keys
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft-managed keys cannot be rotated by the customer on a custom schedule
✓
Azure Storage Service Encryption with customer-managed keys in Azure Key Vault
Why this is correct
Customer-managed keys allow you to provide your own key material and rotate it every 90 days
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Azure Disk Encryption
Why it's wrong here
Azure Disk Encryption encrypts VM disks using BitLocker or DM-Crypt, not Blob Storage
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SC-100 question in full detail.
Identify which SC-100 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Design security solutions for applications and data — This question tests Design security solutions for applications and data — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure Storage Service Encryption with customer-managed keys in Azure Key Vault — Azure Storage encryption with customer-managed keys in Azure Key Vault allows you to supply your own encryption keys and rotate them on your own schedule. Option A is wrong because Azure Disk Encryption is for VM disks, not Blob Storage. Option B is wrong because Azure Storage Service Encryption with Microsoft-managed keys does not allow customer control or rotation. Option D is wrong because Azure Information Protection is for classification and labeling, not encryption at rest.
What should I do if I get this SC-100 question wrong?
Identify which SC-100 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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 →
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. A company stores sensitive customer data in Azure SQL Database. They need to encrypt the data at rest and control access to encryption keys. Which solution should they use?
easy
A.Azure Information Protection
B.Always Encrypted
✓ C.Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) with customer-managed keys in Azure Key Vault
D.Dynamic Data Masking
Why C: Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) with customer-managed keys in Azure Key Vault provides at-rest encryption and allows the customer to control the encryption keys. Option A is wrong because Dynamic Data Masking hides data from non-privileged users but does not encrypt at rest. Option B is wrong because Always Encrypted encrypts data in use and at rest, but TDE is the standard for at-rest encryption. Option D is wrong because Azure Information Protection is for classification and labeling, not database encryption.
Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
Question Discussion
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