The answer is SSE-KMS with a customer managed key and automatic key rotation. This solution meets the requirement for rotating encryption keys every 90 days because AWS KMS supports automatic annual rotation for customer managed keys, and you can optionally configure a custom rotation period of 90 days via a Lambda function or by using a new key alias, though the exam accepts the default annual rotation as meeting the intent with least overhead. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of S3 server-side encryption types and their operational trade-offs: SSE-S3 cannot be rotated on a schedule, SSE-C forces you to manage keys yourself, and client-side encryption adds unnecessary complexity. A common trap is assuming SSE-S3 provides key rotation, but it only rotates the data key, not the master key. Memory tip: KMS = Key Management Service, so if you need to manage and rotate keys, think KMS.
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 stores sensitive data in an S3 bucket that must be encrypted at rest. The security team requires that the encryption keys be rotated every 90 days and that access to the keys be auditable. Which solution meets these requirements with the LEAST operational overhead?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use SSE-KMS with a customer managed key and enable automatic key rotation.
Option B is correct because SSE-KMS with automatic key rotation meets the requirements with minimal overhead. Option A is wrong because SSE-S3 uses S3-managed keys that cannot be rotated on a schedule. Option C is wrong because SSE-C requires managing keys yourself. Option D is wrong because client-side encryption adds complexity.
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 SSE-S3 with default encryption enabled.
Why it's wrong here
SSE-S3 keys cannot be rotated on a schedule.
✗
Use client-side encryption with the AWS Encryption SDK.
Why it's wrong here
Client-side encryption requires managing keys in the application.
✗
Use SSE-C with keys stored in AWS Secrets Manager.
Why it's wrong here
SSE-C requires client-side key management and is more overhead.
✓
Use SSE-KMS with a customer managed key and enable automatic key rotation.
Why this is correct
KMS automatic rotation meets the 90-day requirement and provides auditing.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
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 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 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: Use SSE-KMS with a customer managed key and enable automatic key rotation. — Option B is correct because SSE-KMS with automatic key rotation meets the requirements with minimal overhead. Option A is wrong because SSE-S3 uses S3-managed keys that cannot be rotated on a schedule. Option C is wrong because SSE-C requires managing keys yourself. Option D is wrong because client-side encryption adds complexity.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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 developer needs to encrypt data in an S3 bucket. The company requires that the encryption key be managed by AWS but with the ability to audit key usage. Which S3 encryption option should the developer use?
easy
✓ A.Server-Side Encryption with AWS KMS (SSE-KMS).
B.Client-side encryption.
C.Server-Side Encryption with S3-Managed Keys (SSE-S3).
D.Server-Side Encryption with Customer-Provided Keys (SSE-C).
Why A: SSE-KMS uses AWS KMS to manage the key and provides CloudTrail logs for key usage. SSE-S3 does not provide separate audit logs for key usage. SSE-C requires the customer to manage keys. Client-side encryption does not use S3 server-side encryption.
Variation 2. A company wants to encrypt data at rest in an S3 bucket using server-side encryption. Which option provides the MOST control over the encryption key?
easy
A.SSE-KMS (AWS KMS keys)
✓ B.SSE-C (customer-provided keys)
C.Client-side encryption
D.SSE-S3 (S3-managed keys)
Why B: SSE-C (customer-provided keys) gives you the most control because you manage the encryption key yourself—you provide the key in each request, and AWS discards it after use. This means you have full lifecycle control over the key material, including rotation, deletion, and access policies, without AWS ever storing the key. In contrast, SSE-KMS and SSE-S3 rely on AWS-managed or AWS-controlled key stores, reducing your direct control.
Variation 3. A company wants to encrypt data at rest in an S3 bucket. Which AWS service can provide encryption keys that are managed by AWS and rotated automatically?
easy
A.SSE-KMS (Server-Side Encryption with AWS KMS)
✓ B.SSE-S3 (Server-Side Encryption with S3 Managed Keys)
C.SSE-C (Server-Side Encryption with Customer-Provided Keys)
D.Client-side encryption using AWS KMS.
Why B: SSE-S3 uses encryption keys that are managed entirely by AWS and are rotated automatically on a regular basis. This option meets the requirement for AWS-managed keys with automatic rotation without any additional configuration or cost.
Variation 4. A company wants to use AWS KMS to encrypt data in an S3 bucket. They need to rotate the CMK annually. Which key type should they use to enable automatic rotation?
medium
✓ A.AWS managed key (aws/s3)
B.Customer managed key (CMK)
C.Custom key store
D.AWS owned key
Why A: AWS managed keys (aws/s3) support automatic annual rotation automatically without any configuration. When you use an AWS managed key for S3, AWS KMS rotates the key material once every year, which satisfies the requirement for annual rotation without manual intervention.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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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.
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