iSACA Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certification Practice Exam

Which of the following describes data at rest?

1. Data traveling over a network

2. Stored data

3. Data movement at the user workstation level

4. Data currently being processed

The correct answer is: Stored data

Data at rest refers specifically to inactive data that is stored physically in a digital form, typically within storage systems such as databases, data warehouses, or file systems. This includes any files on a hard drive, cloud storage, or any medium where it is not actively being used or manipulated. The clarity in understanding data at rest is important in the context of cybersecurity, as it often requires different security measures compared to data in transit (data traveling over a network) or data in use (data currently being processed). Effective security measures for data at rest include encryption, access controls, and regular audits to protect against unauthorized access or data breaches. Options that involve data in motion or active processing indicate that the data is currently being manipulated or transferred, which does not apply when discussing data at rest.