What is Protected Configuration?

It is a feature used to secure connection string information.

Protected Configuration in ASP.NET refers to a mechanism provided by the .NET Framework for securing sensitive information, such as connection strings, application settings, and other configuration data within configuration files (typically the web.config file). This feature aims to prevent unauthorized access to critical information by encrypting sections of the configuration files.

The correct answer would be something along these lines:

“Protected Configuration in ASP.NET is a feature provided by the .NET Framework to secure sensitive data within configuration files. It allows developers to encrypt sections of the configuration file, such as connection strings and application settings, to prevent unauthorized access. This helps in enhancing the security of ASP.NET applications by safeguarding critical information from being exposed to malicious users or unauthorized parties.”