How to Enable MFA Delete on an S3 Bucket via AWS CLI
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of development with aws services. 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.
Network Topology
The above CLI output shows the versioning status of an S3 bucket. A developer wants to enable MFA Delete on the bucket. What should the developer do?
Network Topology
A
Use the aws s3api put-bucket-acl command with MFA token.
Why wrong: This command does not manage versioning or MFA Delete; it modifies bucket ACLs.
B
Use the aws s3api put-bucket-versioning command with the --mfa parameter.
Correct. This command directly modifies the bucket's versioning configuration, including the MfaDelete setting.
C
Enable Object Lock on the bucket, which automatically enables MFA Delete.
Why wrong: Object Lock does not automatically enable MFA Delete; they are separate features.
D
Use the aws s3api put-bucket-policy command to require MFA.
Why wrong: Bucket policies control access, not versioning settings like MFA Delete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use the aws s3api put-bucket-versioning command with the --mfa parameter.
The `aws s3api put-bucket-versioning` command with the `--mfa` parameter is the correct way to enable MFA Delete on an S3 bucket. The `--mfa` parameter supplies the MFA token (serial number + code) required for this high-security operation, as MFA Delete can only be toggled by the bucket owner using multi-factor authentication.
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 the aws s3api put-bucket-acl command with MFA token.
Why it's wrong here
This command does not manage versioning or MFA Delete; it modifies bucket ACLs.
✓
Use the aws s3api put-bucket-versioning command with the --mfa parameter.
Why this is correct
Correct. This command directly modifies the bucket's versioning configuration, including the MfaDelete setting.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable Object Lock on the bucket, which automatically enables MFA Delete.
Why it's wrong here
Object Lock does not automatically enable MFA Delete; they are separate features.
✗
Use the aws s3api put-bucket-policy command to require MFA.
Why it's wrong here
Bucket policies control access, not versioning settings like MFA Delete.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse MFA Delete with requiring MFA for access (via bucket policy) or assume Object Lock automatically enables MFA Delete, but MFA Delete is a distinct versioning setting that must be explicitly enabled using the `put-bucket-versioning` API with the `--mfa` parameter.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
This command does not manage versioning or MFA Delete; it modifies bucket ACLs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
MFA Delete is a versioning sub-feature that requires the bucket owner to authenticate with a hardware or virtual MFA device before permanently deleting object versions or suspending versioning. Under the hood, the S3 API validates the MFA token against the AWS Security Token Service (STS) before applying the change; if the token is missing or invalid, the operation fails with an AccessDenied error. A real-world scenario is compliance with data retention policies where MFA Delete prevents accidental or malicious permanent deletion of critical versions.
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.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
Storage Class
Min Duration
Retrieval
Use Case
S3 Standard
None
Immediate
Frequently accessed data
S3 Standard-IA
30 days
Immediate
Infrequent access, rapid retrieval
S3 One Zone-IA
30 days
Immediate
Non-critical infrequent data
S3 Intelligent-Tiering
None
Immediate–hours
Unknown or changing access patterns
S3 Glacier Instant
90 days
Milliseconds
Archive with instant retrieval
S3 Glacier Flexible
90 days
Minutes–hours
Archive, flexible retrieval
S3 Glacier Deep Archive
180 days
Hours
Long-term compliance archive
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.
Development with AWS Services — This question tests Development with AWS Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use the aws s3api put-bucket-versioning command with the --mfa parameter. — The `aws s3api put-bucket-versioning` command with the `--mfa` parameter is the correct way to enable MFA Delete on an S3 bucket. The `--mfa` parameter supplies the MFA token (serial number + code) required for this high-security operation, as MFA Delete can only be toggled by the bucket owner using multi-factor authentication.
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.
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 →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.