A cloud administrator recommends using tokenization as an alternative to protecting data without encryption. Which step should occur immediately before an authorized application request to access the data?

The correct answer identifies the process within the flow of tokenization and data access management. Before an authorized application can request to access sensitive data, it must first have a mechanism in place to manage the tokens that substitute for the original data. Storing the token is vital because it allows the application to present this token to the tokenization server when it needs to request the actual sensitive data.

The application must securely store the token after it has been collected and before making a request. This ensures that during an authorized session, the application can efficiently and safely reference the necessary sensitive information without exposing the data itself. By having the token readily stored, the application can maintain a streamlined and secure data retrieval process while also fortifying data security practices through measures such as limiting access and reducing data exposure.

The other steps mentioned relate to generating and returning tokens but do not occur just before making an access request. Generating a token is a preemptive action that occurs before the token is stored, and returning a token or collecting one is part of an earlier stage in the tokenization protocol, rather than the actual moment right before accessing data. This emphasizes the importance of having the token securely in place as a prerequisite to engaging further with sensitive information.