DEA-C01 Data Security and Governance Practice Question
A company uses AWS KMS to encrypt data in Amazon Redshift. The data engineer needs to rotate the customer-managed KMS key annually. Which TWO actions must be taken to successfully rotate the key without data loss?
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
✓
Create a new KMS key and update the Redshift cluster to use the new key
You must create a new KMS key and update the Redshift cluster to use the new key for encrypting future data. Option B is correct because the old key must remain enabled to allow decryption of data that was encrypted with it; without the old key, existing data becomes inaccessible. Option C is incorrect because CloudTrail is used for auditing API calls, not as a required action for key rotation. Option D is incorrect because storing the key in Amazon S3 is unnecessary; KMS already securely stores keys. Option E is incorrect because automatic key rotation on the existing key does not create a new key; it rotates the key material automatically, which is not the scenario described (a new key must be created and the cluster updated).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Create a new KMS key and update the Redshift cluster to use the new key
Why this is correct
Needed to re-encrypt data with new key.
- ✓
Keep the old KMS key enabled to allow decryption of existing encrypted data
Why this is correct
Old key must be available to decrypt data that was encrypted with it.
- ✗
Use AWS CloudTrail to verify the key rotation was successful
Why it's wrong here
Not required for rotation.
- ✗
Store the new key in Amazon S3 for backup
Why it's wrong here
Keys are stored in KMS, not S3.
- ✗
Enable automatic KMS key rotation on the existing key
Why it's wrong here
Automatic rotation does not change the key ID; not sufficient for annual rotation.
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 |
Go deeper
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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.