Information Security Analyst Backup Data Disposal: Best Practices | CS0-002 Exam

Key Considerations for Disposing of Electronic Data

Question

An information security analyst is reviewing backup data sets as part of a project focused on eliminating archival data sets.

Which of the following should be considered FIRST prior to disposing of the electronic data?

Answers

Explanations

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A. B. C. D.

A.

When disposing of electronic data, it is important to consider several factors to ensure that sensitive information is properly protected. Among the most critical factors are data retention standards, encryption policies, sanitization policies, and data sovereignty.

In this case, the information security analyst is specifically focused on eliminating archival data sets. Before proceeding with the disposal of the electronic data, the analyst should first consider the sanitization policy.

A sanitization policy is a set of guidelines that dictate how data should be deleted or destroyed. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that sensitive information is properly protected and cannot be recovered by unauthorized individuals.

The reason why sanitization policy is considered first is because it is critical to properly dispose of electronic data. The failure to do so could result in the exposure of sensitive information, which could lead to serious consequences such as legal liability, financial losses, or damage to reputation.

Once the sanitization policy has been considered, the analyst should also review the other factors mentioned, such as data sovereignty, encryption policy, and retention standards.

Data sovereignty refers to the legal and regulatory requirements that govern the storage, processing, and transfer of data. In some cases, data cannot be disposed of due to legal or regulatory requirements. For example, certain industries may be required to retain data for a certain period of time in order to comply with government regulations.

Encryption policy refers to the guidelines that dictate how data should be encrypted to protect it from unauthorized access. If the data being disposed of was encrypted, it may be necessary to securely dispose of the encryption keys as well.

Retention standards refer to the guidelines that dictate how long data should be retained. If the data being disposed of was subject to retention standards, it may be necessary to retain it for a certain period of time before disposing of it.

In conclusion, before disposing of electronic data, it is critical to consider several factors, including sanitization policy, data sovereignty, encryption policy, and retention standards. However, the sanitization policy should be considered first, as it is critical to properly dispose of electronic data to ensure that sensitive information is protected.