The answer is to create a new Redshift cluster specifying the customer managed KMS key, enable automatic yearly key rotation, and restrict the key policy to the Redshift cluster and a security admin IAM role. This works because Redshift encryption with a customer managed KMS key must be configured at cluster launch, as encryption cannot be enabled on an existing cluster without a snapshot restore. Automatic rotation is a KMS property you enable on the CMK itself, ensuring the key material changes annually without manual intervention. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that encryption settings are immutable after cluster creation and that key policies, not IAM roles alone, control access to the CMK. A common trap is thinking you can alter an existing encrypted cluster or that disabling rotation meets compliance. Remember the mnemonic "Launch, Rotate, Restrict" to recall the three required steps: specify the CMK at launch, enable automatic rotation on the key, and restrict the key policy.
DEA-C01 Data Security and Governance Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data security and governance. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company uses Amazon Redshift for data warehousing. The security team requires that data be encrypted at rest using a customer-managed key (CMK) in AWS KMS, and that the key be rotated automatically every year. Additionally, the team wants to restrict access to the key to only the Redshift cluster and a security admin IAM role. Which steps should the company take? (Choose THREE.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add the security admin IAM role as a key user in the KMS key policy.
Options A, C, and E are correct. Option A enables encryption with a CMK. Option C enables automatic yearly rotation. Option E adds the security admin to the key policy. Option B is wrong because enabling encryption on an existing encrypted cluster requires creating a new snapshot and restoring, not just altering. Option D is wrong because disabling rotation prevents automatic rotation.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Add the security admin IAM role as a key user in the KMS key policy.
Why this is correct
Allows the admin to manage the key.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Alter the existing Redshift cluster to enable encryption with the CMK.
Why it's wrong here
Redshift does not support enabling encryption on an existing cluster without restoring from snapshot.
✓
Enable automatic key rotation in the KMS key policy.
Why this is correct
Rotates the key automatically every year.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Disable automatic key rotation to comply with security policy.
Why it's wrong here
Security policy requires rotation.
✓
Create a new Redshift cluster and specify the CMK for encryption.
Why this is correct
Enables encryption with a customer-managed key.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Data Security and Governance — This question tests Data Security and Governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add the security admin IAM role as a key user in the KMS key policy. — Options A, C, and E are correct. Option A enables encryption with a CMK. Option C enables automatic yearly rotation. Option E adds the security admin to the key policy. Option B is wrong because enabling encryption on an existing encrypted cluster requires creating a new snapshot and restoring, not just altering. Option D is wrong because disabling rotation prevents automatic rotation.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company uses Amazon Redshift for data warehousing. The security team requires that all data stored in Redshift be encrypted at rest using a customer-managed KMS key. How should the data engineer configure this?
medium
✓ A.Enable encryption using a KMS key when creating the Redshift cluster
B.Configure S3 SSE-KMS on the underlying S3 storage
C.Use the AWS KMS console to encrypt the Redshift cluster after creation
D.Set a cluster parameter group with encryption enabled
Why A: Redshift supports encryption at rest using KMS. You enable encryption when launching the cluster by choosing a KMS key. Option B is wrong because Redshift doesn't use S3 SSE-KMS for its own storage. Option C is wrong because you cannot encrypt an existing cluster without restoring from snapshot. Option D is wrong because cluster parameter groups do not control encryption. Option A is correct.
Variation 2. A company uses Amazon Redshift for data warehousing. The security team requires that all data be encrypted at rest using a key managed by the company. Which Redshift encryption option should be used?
hard
A.Enable encryption using AWS managed key (default)
B.Use SSL/TLS encryption
C.Use hardware security module (HSM)
✓ D.Specify a customer managed KMS key when enabling encryption
Why D: Redshift supports encryption at rest using KMS keys. To use a customer-managed key, you need to specify a KMS key ID. Option C is correct. HSM is not directly supported by Redshift.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.