The correct approach is to configure an AWS Config rule to detect S3 buckets without SSE-S3 encryption and use AWS Systems Manager Automation to apply encryption automatically. This works because AWS Config continuously evaluates resources against custom or managed rules, and when a non-compliant bucket is detected, it can trigger an SSM Automation document as a remediation action—no manual intervention needed. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to combine AWS Config’s evaluation engine with Systems Manager’s runbooks for automated enforcement, a common pattern for security compliance. A frequent trap is assuming AWS CloudFormation StackSets alone can handle post-creation remediation, but they only deploy resources initially, not react to non-compliant changes. Memory tip: think “Config detects, SSM corrects” to remember the two-step automation pipeline for S3 encryption enforcement.
DVA-C02 Security Practice Question
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 company has a multi-account AWS environment using AWS Organizations. The security team wants to enforce that all S3 buckets across all accounts are encrypted with AES-256 using SSE-S3. They also want to automatically remediate any bucket that is created without encryption. The team currently uses AWS CloudFormation StackSets to deploy resources. They need a solution that does not require manual intervention. Which approach should be taken?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure an AWS Config rule to detect buckets without SSE-S3 and use AWS Systems Manager Automation to apply SSE-S3 encryption automatically.
Option B is correct because AWS Config can continuously evaluate S3 buckets against a custom rule that checks for SSE-S3 encryption. When a non-compliant bucket is detected, AWS Systems Manager Automation can automatically remediate it by applying the required encryption, meeting the requirement for automatic remediation without manual intervention.
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.
✗
Create an SCP that denies s3:PutBucketEncryption with a condition that the encryption is not SSE-S3.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs cannot check encryption settings.
✓
Configure an AWS Config rule to detect buckets without SSE-S3 and use AWS Systems Manager Automation to apply SSE-S3 encryption automatically.
Why this is correct
Detects and remediates non-compliant buckets.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create a CloudFormation template that includes a bucket with SSE-S3 enabled and deploy it via StackSets to all accounts.
Why it's wrong here
Does not cover buckets created outside CloudFormation.
✗
Enable S3 Block Public Access at the organization level.
Why it's wrong here
Does not enforce encryption.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse preventive controls (SCPs) with detective and corrective controls (Config + Automation), failing to realize that SCPs alone cannot remediate already non-compliant resources or enforce encryption on buckets created without encryption settings.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Config evaluates resources based on rules defined in AWS Lambda or managed rules; for SSE-S3, you can use the managed rule 's3-bucket-server-side-encryption-enabled' with a parameter to require AES-256. The remediation action via Systems Manager Automation runs an SSM document (e.g., AWS-ConfigureS3BucketEncryption) that calls the PutBucketEncryption API to set the encryption configuration. This approach ensures continuous compliance even for buckets created outside of CloudFormation, as Config evaluates resources on a schedule or on configuration changes.
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.
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: Configure an AWS Config rule to detect buckets without SSE-S3 and use AWS Systems Manager Automation to apply SSE-S3 encryption automatically. — Option B is correct because AWS Config can continuously evaluate S3 buckets against a custom rule that checks for SSE-S3 encryption. When a non-compliant bucket is detected, AWS Systems Manager Automation can automatically remediate it by applying the required encryption, meeting the requirement for automatic remediation without manual intervention.
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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Question Discussion
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