Data at rest versus data in transit refers to which distinction?

Data at rest versus data in transit refers to which distinction?

• A. Data at rest is data in memory during processing.
• B. Data in transit is data stored on devices or servers.
• C. Data at rest is stored on devices or servers; data in transit is moved across networks between systems.
• D. Data in transit is data that is already deleted.

Answer: (C)

This distinction focuses on where data lives and whether it’s moving. Data at rest means data that’s stored on devices or servers and isn’t actively being transmitted. Data in transit means data that is being moved across networks between systems. For example, a file saved on a hard drive is data at rest, while a file being sent over the internet or over a network is data in transit. The description that data at rest is stored on devices or servers and data in transit is moved across networks between systems captures this idea precisely. The other statements mix up these ideas: data stored in memory during processing isn’t at rest, and data in transit isn’t simply data stored on devices or servers or data that’s already deleted.

This distinction focuses on where data lives and whether it’s moving. Data at rest means data that’s stored on devices or servers and isn’t actively being transmitted. Data in transit means data that is being moved across networks between systems.

For example, a file saved on a hard drive is data at rest, while a file being sent over the internet or over a network is data in transit. The description that data at rest is stored on devices or servers and data in transit is moved across networks between systems captures this idea precisely.

The other statements mix up these ideas: data stored in memory during processing isn’t at rest, and data in transit isn’t simply data stored on devices or servers or data that’s already deleted.