DEA-C01 Data Security and Governance Practice Question
A company uses AWS CloudTrail to log all API calls. The security team wants to ensure that log files are tamper-proof and cannot be deleted. Which TWO actions should the data engineer take? (Choose TWO.)
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable CloudTrail log file validation
Option A is correct because enabling CloudTrail log file validation generates a digitally signed digest file for each log file, allowing you to verify that logs have not been tampered with or modified after delivery. Option B is correct because S3 Object Lock enforces WORM (Write Once Read Many) protection, preventing log files from being deleted or overwritten for a specified retention period, which directly satisfies the tamper-proof and non-deletable requirement. Option C is not correct because MFA Delete only requires multi-factor authentication for deleting objects or changing versioning state; it adds a control but does not make logs inherently tamper-proof or prevent deletion by an authorized MFA holder. Option D is not correct because S3 Versioning merely preserves prior versions of objects, so deleted or altered logs can still be removed and versioning alone does not prevent deletion. Option E is not correct because SSE-KMS encryption protects data confidentiality at rest but does not prevent log files from being modified or deleted.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Enable CloudTrail log file validation
Why this is correct
Enabling CloudTrail log file validation generates a digest file for each log, letting you verify integrity via the AWS CLI. This satisfies the tamper-proof constraint: any modification or deletion of delivered log files is detectable through hash comparison, though it does not itself prevent deletion.
- ✓
Enable S3 Object Lock on the S3 bucket
Why this is correct
S3 Object Lock enforces write-once-read-many (WORM) protection at the object level, preventing deletion or overwrite of CloudTrail log files for a defined retention period. This directly satisfies the tamper-proof and non-deletable constraint, using governance or compliance mode to block even root-user deletion attempts.
- ✗
Enable MFA Delete on the S3 bucket
Why it's wrong here
MFA Delete requires multi-factor authentication to delete object versions, but it does not stop an authorised principal who can authenticate with MFA, and it does not make logs tamper-proof. It is tempting because it directly addresses deletion, and it would be correct where the concern is accidental or unauthorised version deletion.
- ✗
Enable S3 Versioning on the S3 bucket
Why it's wrong here
Versioning preserves prior object versions but does not prevent deletion; a user can still delete objects and versions unless permissions or MFA Delete block it. It is tempting because versioning supports recovery from overwrites and accidental removal, and it would be correct when the requirement is retaining object history rather than tamper-proofing.
- ✗
Enable SSE-KMS encryption on the S3 bucket
Why it's wrong here
SSE-KMS encrypts objects at rest but grants no deletion protection; an authorised principal can still remove log files. It is tempting because encryption is a common CloudTrail log-integrity control, and it would be correct where the requirement is confidentiality of log contents rather than preventing deletion.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This DEA-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DEA-C01 exam.