Which of the following is NOT a best practice for protecting client data and confidentiality?

• A. Public sharing of client data
• B. Access controls
• C. Data minimization
• D. Encryption

Answer: (A)

Protecting client data hinges on limiting who can access information, keeping only what’s necessary, and making data unreadable to unauthorized users. Public sharing of client data runs directly counter to these protections, because it exposes sensitive information to anyone and increases the risk of misuse, breaches, and regulatory penalties. The other practices fit this protective approach: access controls ensure only authorized individuals can view data; data minimization reduces the volume of information at risk by avoiding unnecessary collection and retention; and encryption safeguards data by rendering it unreadable without the proper keys, both when stored and when transmitted. So public sharing is not a best practice, while the other three are essential safeguards for confidentiality.