Which of the following is an important aspect of cloud security when using third-party services?

Data encryption in transit and at rest is a fundamental aspect of cloud security, especially when leveraging third-party services. This practice is essential for safeguarding sensitive information from unauthorized access as it travels over networks (encryption in transit) and while it is stored on servers (encryption at rest).

Implementing data encryption ensures that even if a malicious actor were to intercept data during transmission or gain unauthorized access to stored data, they would be unable to interpret or use it without the proper decryption keys. This is particularly critical in a cloud environment where data may traverse public networks and be stored on shared infrastructures managed by third-party providers.

While reducing the number of users with access to sensitive data, regularly updating cloud applications, and using proprietary software can also contribute to security, they do not directly address the integrity and confidentiality of the data itself in the same way that encryption does. Hence, while they are important to a comprehensive security strategy, encryption stands out as a primary method for protecting data against various security threats in cloud environments.