Which of the following best describes security practices for protecting digital transcripts?

• A. Encryption at rest and in transit, plus access controls and audit trails.
• B. Password-protecting individual files only.
• C. Storing transcripts on removable drives without encryption.
• D. Limiting access to one person and removing auditing.

Answer: (A)

Protecting digital transcripts relies on layered security that keeps data confidential, preserves its integrity, and ensures accountability. Encrypting data both when it’s stored (at rest) and when it’s moving over networks (in transit) prevents unauthorized reading if storage devices are compromised or data is intercepted. Implementing access controls ensures only authorized individuals can view or modify transcripts, applying the principle of least privilege. Adding audit trails logs who accessed or changed transcripts, when, and what they did, which supports monitoring, breach detection, and investigations.

The other options fall short because they rely on a single protective measure or ignore key security aspects. Password-protecting individual files doesn’t secure data in transit or across systems, and it can be weak or shared. Storing transcripts on removable drives without encryption risks data loss or theft. Limiting access to one person and removing auditing eliminates accountability and makes it impossible to detect or investigate misuse.