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 Organizations to manage multiple accounts. The security team wants to ensure that all S3 buckets across all accounts are encrypted with SSE-S3. What is the MOST effective way to enforce this?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use an SCP in AWS Organizations to deny s3:PutBucketEncryption unless the encryption algorithm is AES256.
Option D is correct because service control policies (SCPs) can be applied at the organization level to deny actions that do not meet conditions. An SCP can deny s3:PutBucketEncryption if the encryption is not SSE-S3. Option A is not possible because you cannot directly apply IAM policies to all accounts. Option B is per account and not centralized. Option C is per bucket and not enforced across accounts.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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 an IAM policy that denies non-SSE-S3 encryption and attach it to all users.
Why it's wrong here
IAM policies are per account; cannot be applied across all accounts centrally.
✗
Use AWS Config rules to detect buckets without SSE-S3 and send alerts.
Why it's wrong here
This is detective, not preventive.
✓
Use an SCP in AWS Organizations to deny s3:PutBucketEncryption unless the encryption algorithm is AES256.
Why this is correct
SCPs enforce across all accounts in the organization.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
Use S3 bucket policies to deny PutObject if encryption is not SSE-S3.
Why it's wrong here
This works per bucket but requires configuring each bucket.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
The first matching ACL entry is used.
There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
→Check inbound versus outbound direction.
→Read the ACL from top to bottom.
→Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related DVA-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Security — This question tests Security — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use an SCP in AWS Organizations to deny s3:PutBucketEncryption unless the encryption algorithm is AES256. — Option D is correct because service control policies (SCPs) can be applied at the organization level to deny actions that do not meet conditions. An SCP can deny s3:PutBucketEncryption if the encryption is not SSE-S3. Option A is not possible because you cannot directly apply IAM policies to all accounts. Option B is per account and not centralized. Option C is per bucket and not enforced across accounts.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related DVA-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Question Discussion
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