Google Cloud Professional Cloud Security Engineer Practice Exam

What is the best practice for ensuring sensitive user data protection in a development environment?

1. Limit developer access to production accounts

2. Use encryption and key management services

3. Restrict changes to production code only

4. Conduct regular security training for developers

The correct answer is: Use encryption and key management services

Using encryption and key management services is considered the best practice for ensuring sensitive user data protection in a development environment because it directly addresses the security of data at rest and in transit. By implementing encryption, you safeguard sensitive information from unauthorized access, even if it is inadvertently exposed or accessed by a developer who should not have visibility into that data. Key management services further enhance this protection by providing a mechanism for secure storage, access control, and rotation of encryption keys, ensuring that encryption keys are managed in a way that complies with organizational security policies and standards. This layered approach to data protection is essential in a development environment where sensitive data may be used for testing and development purposes, which increases the risk of exposure. In contrast, while limiting developer access to production accounts is crucial for minimizing the risk of unintentional changes affecting live systems, it does not directly secure sensitive data used in development. Restricting changes to production code is important for maintaining the stability of applications but does not inherently protect the data itself. Conducting regular security training for developers is valuable for fostering a security-aware culture, yet it is more of a preventive measure than a direct action aimed at protecting sensitive data. Therefore, using encryption and key management services stands out as the most effective tactic