CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) — Question 669

Which of the following BEST explains why a development environment should have the same database server secure baseline that exists in production even if there is no PII in the database?

Answer options

• A. Without the same configuration in both development and production, there are no assurances that changes made in development will have the same effect in production
• B. Attackers can extract sensitive, personal information from lower development environment databases just as easily as they can from production databases
• C. Databases are unique in their need to have secure configurations applied in all environments because they are attacked more often
• D. Laws stipulate that databases with the ability to store personal information must be secured regardless of the environment or if they actually have PII

Correct answer: A

Explanation

Answer A is correct because having the same configuration ensures that any changes or updates made in the development environment will behave the same way when deployed to production, reducing the risk of unexpected issues. Option B is misleading as it implies that PII is the only concern, while C incorrectly suggests that databases are uniquely vulnerable compared to other systems. Option D relates to regulations but doesn't address the importance of consistency between environments.