- A
Use a custom key store with automatic rotation enabled.
Why wrong: Custom key stores do not support automatic rotation of KMS keys.
- B
Use an AWS managed key (e.g., aws/s3).
AWS managed keys are automatically rotated every 365 days, meeting the requirement without additional configuration.
- C
Use a key with imported key material and set a rotation period of 365 days.
Why wrong: Imported key material does not support automatic rotation; you must manually create new keys.
- D
Use a customer managed key with automatic rotation enabled.
Why wrong: Customer managed keys can be rotated automatically, but the default rotation period is 365 days, same as AWS managed keys. However, the question does not specify custom control, and AWS managed keys are simpler for this requirement.
Quick Answer
The answer is an AWS managed key, such as aws/s3, because these keys are automatically rotated every 365 days with no configuration required. AWS KMS handles this rotation seamlessly, generating new cryptographic material each year while keeping the old material available for decrypting existing data. This satisfies the security team’s requirement for automatic rotation without any manual intervention. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of the key difference between AWS managed and customer managed keys: while customer managed keys can also be set to rotate annually, they require explicit enabling of automatic rotation, whereas AWS managed keys rotate by default. A common trap is assuming customer managed keys are always needed for control, but the simplest answer that meets the requirement is the AWS managed key. Remember the mnemonic “AWS managed, rotation mandated” to recall that these keys rotate automatically without any setup.
DVA-C02 Security Practice Question
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 AWS KMS to encrypt data at rest in S3. The security team requires that all encryption keys be rotated automatically every 365 days. Which type of KMS key should be used?
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
Use an AWS managed key (e.g., aws/s3).
AWS managed keys (e.g., aws/s3) automatically rotate every year (365 days) without any configuration required, which satisfies the security team's requirement. Customer managed keys with automatic rotation enabled rotate annually by default, but the question asks for the type of key that should be used, and AWS managed keys are the simplest choice that meets the requirement. Imported key material cannot be rotated automatically because AWS KMS cannot generate new key material for keys with imported material.
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.
- ✗
Use a custom key store with automatic rotation enabled.
Why it's wrong here
Custom key stores do not support automatic rotation of KMS keys.
- ✓
Use an AWS managed key (e.g., aws/s3).
Why this is correct
AWS managed keys are automatically rotated every 365 days, meeting the requirement without additional configuration.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use a key with imported key material and set a rotation period of 365 days.
Why it's wrong here
Imported key material does not support automatic rotation; you must manually create new keys.
- ✗
Use a customer managed key with automatic rotation enabled.
Why it's wrong here
Customer managed keys can be rotated automatically, but the default rotation period is 365 days, same as AWS managed keys. However, the question does not specify custom control, and AWS managed keys are simpler for this requirement.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume only customer managed keys support automatic rotation, overlooking that AWS managed keys also rotate automatically every 365 days and are the simplest way to meet the requirement.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS KMS automatic rotation for customer managed keys creates new backing key material every 365 days while retaining the old material for decryption of previously encrypted data; the key ID and key ARN remain unchanged. For AWS managed keys like aws/s3, rotation is handled entirely by AWS and cannot be disabled, ensuring compliance with rotation policies without any administrative overhead. In contrast, imported key material requires manual rotation by creating a new key and re-encrypting data, which is error-prone and does not meet the automatic rotation requirement.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DVA-C02 question test?
Security — This question tests Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use an AWS managed key (e.g., aws/s3). — AWS managed keys (e.g., aws/s3) automatically rotate every year (365 days) without any configuration required, which satisfies the security team's requirement. Customer managed keys with automatic rotation enabled rotate annually by default, but the question asks for the type of key that should be used, and AWS managed keys are the simplest choice that meets the requirement. Imported key material cannot be rotated automatically because AWS KMS cannot generate new key material for keys with imported material.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This DVA-C02 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 DVA-C02 exam.
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