Question 289 of 1,411

Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity →easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is confidentiality, because the combination of encryption and access control directly ensures that sensitive patient records are only viewable by authorized medical staff. Encryption scrambles the data so it is unreadable without the proper key, while access restrictions verify that only permitted users can obtain that key, together preventing unauthorized disclosure. On the Microsoft SC-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the CIA triad’s confidentiality pillar, often appearing in questions about data protection controls like encryption, least privilege, or role-based access. A common trap is confusing confidentiality with integrity, which focuses on preventing unauthorized modification rather than unauthorized viewing. Remember the memory tip: confidentiality is about keeping secrets secret—if the goal is to stop the wrong eyes from reading data, think “confidentiality first.”

SC-900 Practice Question: Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity

This SC-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 healthcare organization stores patient records in an encrypted database. Access to the database is restricted to authorized medical staff only. Which security principle is primarily being addressed by these measures?

Question 1easymultiple choice

Read the full NAT/PAT explanation →

A
Integrity
Why wrong: Integrity focuses on ensuring data is accurate and not modified by unauthorized parties. While encryption can protect integrity to some degree, the primary goal described is preventing unauthorized viewing, not modification.
B
Availability
Why wrong: Availability ensures that data and systems are accessible when needed. The scenario mentions access restrictions and encryption, which do not directly address ensuring uptime or accessibility.
C
Non-repudiation
Why wrong: Non-repudiation ensures that a user cannot deny having performed an action, often achieved through digital signatures and audit logs. This is not the focus of encryption and access control in this scenario.
D
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is the principle of ensuring that data is only accessible to authorized users. Encryption and access controls are core mechanisms used to achieve confidentiality, making this the correct choice.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

Confidentiality

Confidentiality ensures that sensitive data, such as patient records, is accessible only to authorized individuals. Encryption renders the data unreadable to unauthorized parties, and access restrictions enforce that only authorized medical staff can decrypt and view the records. This directly aligns with the principle of confidentiality, which is a core pillar of the CIA triad.

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.

✗
Integrity
Why it's wrong here
Integrity focuses on ensuring data is accurate and not modified by unauthorized parties. While encryption can protect integrity to some degree, the primary goal described is preventing unauthorized viewing, not modification.
✗
Availability
Why it's wrong here
Availability ensures that data and systems are accessible when needed. The scenario mentions access restrictions and encryption, which do not directly address ensuring uptime or accessibility.
✗
Non-repudiation
Why it's wrong here
Non-repudiation ensures that a user cannot deny having performed an action, often achieved through digital signatures and audit logs. This is not the focus of encryption and access control in this scenario.
✓
Confidentiality
Why this is correct
Confidentiality is the principle of ensuring that data is only accessible to authorized users. Encryption and access controls are core mechanisms used to achieve confidentiality, making this the correct choice.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates may confuse confidentiality with integrity, mistakenly thinking that encryption alone also prevents data tampering, but encryption does not inherently protect against unauthorized modification unless combined with integrity checks like hashing or digital signatures.

Trap categories for this question

Scenario analysis trap
Availability ensures that data and systems are accessible when needed. The scenario mentions access restrictions and encryption, which do not directly address ensuring uptime or accessibility.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Under the hood, encryption in this scenario likely uses a symmetric key algorithm such as AES-256 to encrypt the database at rest, with the decryption key managed via Azure Key Vault or a similar HSM. Access restrictions are enforced through role-based access control (RBAC) and conditional access policies, ensuring that only authenticated medical staff with the proper role (e.g., 'Doctor') can retrieve the key and decrypt the data. In a real-world scenario, a breach of confidentiality could occur if an attacker gains access to the decryption key or if a misconfigured firewall exposes the database port, highlighting the need for defense-in-depth.

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.

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.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this SC-900 question test?

Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity — This question tests Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Confidentiality — Confidentiality ensures that sensitive data, such as patient records, is accessible only to authorized individuals. Encryption renders the data unreadable to unauthorized parties, and access restrictions enforce that only authorized medical staff can decrypt and view the records. This directly aligns with the principle of confidentiality, which is a core pillar of the CIA triad.

What should I do if I get this SC-900 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.

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