This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security. 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 developer is encrypting an S3 bucket using server-side encryption with AWS KMS (SSE-KMS). What is a benefit of using SSE-KMS over SSE-S3?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Ability to control access to the encryption key separately
Option C is correct because SSE-KMS provides separate permissions for the encryption key, allowing fine-grained control. Option A is wrong because both SSE-S3 and SSE-KMS encrypt data at rest. Option B is wrong because SSE-KMS incurs additional KMS costs. Option D is wrong because SSE-KMS uses envelope encryption, which does not reduce latency.
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.
✗
Reduced latency for encrypted object retrieval
Why it's wrong here
Envelope encryption in SSE-KMS adds some overhead.
✗
Lower cost than SSE-S3
Why it's wrong here
SSE-KMS incurs KMS costs, so it may be more expensive.
✓
Ability to control access to the encryption key separately
Why this is correct
SSE-KMS uses a customer master key (CMK) that can be managed with IAM and key policies.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Automatic encryption of objects at rest
Why it's wrong here
Both SSE-S3 and SSE-KMS provide encryption at rest.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which DVA-C02 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.
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: Ability to control access to the encryption key separately — Option C is correct because SSE-KMS provides separate permissions for the encryption key, allowing fine-grained control. Option A is wrong because both SSE-S3 and SSE-KMS encrypt data at rest. Option B is wrong because SSE-KMS incurs additional KMS costs. Option D is wrong because SSE-KMS uses envelope encryption, which does not reduce latency.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which DVA-C02 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.
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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.
Question Discussion
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