Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect (SC-100)Design security for applications and dataMedium
A global pharmaceutical company is designing a new research data platform on Azure. The platform will store highly sensitive genomic data and clinical trial results. The company requires a solution that ensures data remains encrypted during processing, even from the cloud provider's administrators. Which Azure technology should the company prioritize to meet this requirement?
- AAzure SQL Always Encrypted
- BAzure Confidential Computing
- CAzure Disk Encryption
- DAzure Key Vault Managed HSM
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Azure Confidential Computing
Azure Confidential Computing provides a solution where data is encrypted in use, meaning it remains encrypted even while being processed in memory. This protects against unauthorized access from cloud administrators and other privileged users, which is crucial for highly sensitive genomic and clinical trial data.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Azure SQL Always Encrypted encrypts data at rest and in transit, and during processing on the client side, but not typically in memory on the server side in a way that protects from cloud administrators.
- C. Azure Disk Encryption encrypts data at rest on virtual machine disks but does not protect data once it is loaded into memory for processing.
- D. Azure Key Vault Managed HSM securely stores cryptographic keys but does not directly encrypt data during its processing in use.
Azure Confidential Computing
A cloud computing technology that protects data in use by performing computation in a hardware-based Trusted Execution Environment (TEE), which ensures that data is encrypted even during processing.
- Protects data during processing (in use).
- Uses hardware-based Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs).
- Shields data from cloud administrators and privileged users.
- Ideal for highly sensitive data like genomic or financial information.
Memory trick: Confidential Compute keeps secrets even when thinking.