Final answer:
The most secure method to protect sensitive customer data is to encrypt it both when it is stored in a database and as it is transmitted over a network.
Step-by-step explanation:
The strongest way to protect sensitive customer data is to encrypt data both as it sits in your database and as it travels over the network. Encrypting data at rest protects against unauthorized access to the physical storage. Encrypting data in transit shields it from being intercepted by malicious entities during transmission. Combining both methods ensures comprehensive protection, safeguarding the data at all points of its lifecycle.