Snowflake Certification Practice Test

Does the storage service layer only contain an encrypted version of the data as a benefit of client-side encryption?

1. True

2. False

3. Depends on encryption method

4. Only for cloud storage users

The correct answer is: True

The correct answer reflects the understanding that client-side encryption ensures that data is encrypted before it is sent to the storage service layer. This means that only encrypted data is stored in the cloud, enhancing the security of sensitive information. In the context of client-side encryption, the data is handled by the client (the user's environment) where it gets encrypted using a specific algorithm before it is transmitted and stored. The benefit of this approach is that even if a potential breach occurs in the storage layer, the data will remain secure and inaccessible since only an encrypted version exists there. This method emphasizes privacy and data integrity, limiting exposure to unauthorized parties. While it might seem that certain types of encryption or user scenarios (like cloud storage) could create exceptions, in the realm of client-side encryption specifically, the primary characteristic is the preservation of data confidentiality in storage by means of encryption. Thus, only an encrypted version of the data is indeed kept in the storage service layer.