- A
Create an IAM policy in the central security account that denies s3:PutBucketEncryption if the encryption is not SSE-KMS.
Why wrong: IAM policies are per-account and do not apply across accounts.
- B
Use AWS Config to detect non-compliant buckets and automatically apply default encryption with SSE-KMS.
Why wrong: This is reactive and does not prevent creation; also, default encryption can be overwritten.
- C
Enable CloudTrail to log all S3 API calls and manually review for non-compliant buckets.
Why wrong: CloudTrail only logs, does not enforce.
- D
Create a service control policy (SCP) that denies s3:PutObject and s3:PutBucketEncryption unless the encryption is SSE-KMS with the specific KMS key.
SCPs can enforce conditions across all accounts in the organization.
DVA-C02 Security Practice Question
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 using SSE-KMS with a specific KMS key from the central security account. They also want to prevent any unencrypted bucket creation. A developer in the development account creates a new S3 bucket and enables default encryption using SSE-S3. The bucket creation succeeds, but the security team wants to prevent this. The developer argues that the bucket still encrypts data at rest. Compliance requires SSE-KMS only. What should the security team do to enforce this policy across all accounts?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Create a service control policy (SCP) that denies s3:PutObject and s3:PutBucketEncryption unless the encryption is SSE-KMS with the specific KMS key.
Option D is correct because a service control policy (SCP) applied at the AWS Organizations root or OU level can centrally deny S3 bucket creation and encryption configuration unless SSE-KMS with the specific KMS key is used. SCPs affect all accounts in the organization, preventing developers from bypassing the policy by creating buckets with SSE-S3, as the SCP condition key `s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption` and `s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption-aws-kms-key-id` enforce the required encryption at the API level before the bucket is created.
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 IAM policy in the central security account that denies s3:PutBucketEncryption if the encryption is not SSE-KMS.
Why it's wrong here
IAM policies are per-account and do not apply across accounts.
- ✗
Use AWS Config to detect non-compliant buckets and automatically apply default encryption with SSE-KMS.
Why it's wrong here
This is reactive and does not prevent creation; also, default encryption can be overwritten.
- ✗
Enable CloudTrail to log all S3 API calls and manually review for non-compliant buckets.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail only logs, does not enforce.
- ✓
Create a service control policy (SCP) that denies s3:PutObject and s3:PutBucketEncryption unless the encryption is SSE-KMS with the specific KMS key.
Why this is correct
SCPs can enforce conditions across all accounts in the organization.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse IAM policies (which are account-scoped) with SCPs (which are organization-wide), and assume that AWS Config remediation or CloudTrail can proactively enforce encryption, when in fact only SCPs can deny the API call at the point of creation across all accounts.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SCPs use condition keys like `s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption` and `s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption-aws-kms-key-id` to enforce encryption at the time of the API call (e.g., `s3:PutBucketEncryption` or `s3:CreateBucket`). The SCP in option D denies `s3:PutObject` unless the request includes the `x-amz-server-side-encryption: aws:kms` header and the specific KMS key ARN, and denies `s3:PutBucketEncryption` unless the same conditions are met. This works because S3 API calls that set encryption without the required headers are blocked at the AWS Organizations level, regardless of the account's IAM permissions.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DVA-C02 question test?
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: Create a service control policy (SCP) that denies s3:PutObject and s3:PutBucketEncryption unless the encryption is SSE-KMS with the specific KMS key. — Option D is correct because a service control policy (SCP) applied at the AWS Organizations root or OU level can centrally deny S3 bucket creation and encryption configuration unless SSE-KMS with the specific KMS key is used. SCPs affect all accounts in the organization, preventing developers from bypassing the policy by creating buckets with SSE-S3, as the SCP condition key `s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption` and `s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption-aws-kms-key-id` enforce the required encryption at the API level before the bucket is created.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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