Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Practice Exam 2025 – All-in-One Guide to Mastering Your Certification!

The term that defines data currently being processed by the CPU is "Data in Use." This refers to any information that is actively being manipulated or worked on by applications, including data being read from memory or temporarily stored in the system's RAM while applications are executing.

Understanding the concept of "Data in Use" is crucial in the context of information security, as it highlights a specific state of data that is vulnerable to unauthorized access or breaches during processing. Security measures might involve protecting this data through types of encryption or access controls while it is being utilized, to ensure that it remains confidential and integral.

In contrast, "Data in Storage" refers to information that is saved on a device, such as files on a hard drive or cloud storage, while "Data in Motion" describes data being transmitted over networks. "Data at Rest" signifies data that is not actively being used or processed, such as data that is stored and not currently in active use. Knowing these distinctions helps in effectively implementing security measures tailored to the specific states of data.