Which practice applies to protecting sensitive data while it is in use?

• A. Secure processing and minimizing data exposure
• B. Encrypting data at rest only
• C. Using plaintext for speed
• D. Logging all data without access controls

Answer: (A)

Protecting data while it is in use focuses on limiting exposure during processing. Data in memory can be decrypted and loaded for computation, so encryption alone won’t shield it once processing begins. The best approach is secure processing and minimizing data exposure: only access and process the minimum amount of sensitive data necessary, apply strict access controls, handle memory securely, and use techniques like masking or tokenization where possible. Encrypting data at rest protects data while stored, but it doesn’t protect data during use. Using plaintext for speed increases risk by exposing sensitive information in memory and during computation. Logging all data without access controls can reveal sensitive information in logs. So, secure processing and minimizing data exposure is the correct guidance for data in use.