In the case of a company that successfully aligned its cryptographic practices, what was likely a contributing factor?

• A. Lack of budget
• B. Ignoring standards
• C. Removing policy controls
• D. Verifying compliance with industry regulations

Answer: (D)

Verifying compliance with industry regulations is about making sure cryptographic practices meet established standards and can be audited against them. When a company actively checks and validates that its encryption, key management, data handling, and governance align with regulations, it ensures that controls are consistent, up-to-date, and enforceable. This ongoing verification drives the use of approved algorithms, proper key lifecycles, and appropriate access controls, reducing risk and building trust with regulators and customers. In contrast, not budgeting for proper controls, ignoring standards, or removing policy controls would create gaps and weaken governance, making true alignment unlikely.