- A
Enable CloudTrail data events for the S3 bucket containing the encrypted objects.
Why wrong: S3 data events log S3 object-level operations (e.g., GetObject, PutObject), not KMS API calls. The KMS operations are separate.
- B
Create an additional CloudTrail trail that logs all management events for the KMS key.
Why wrong: Management events already include KMS management operations, but not data operations like Encrypt and Decrypt. A separate trail will still only log management events unless data events are configured.
- C
Enable CloudTrail data events for the specific KMS key ARN.
CloudTrail data events for KMS record every call to Decrypt, Encrypt, GenerateDataKey, etc. By specifying the key ARN in the data event selector, only operations on that key are logged, meeting the audit requirement without excessive logging.
- D
Enable CloudTrail Insights events on the existing trail.
Why wrong: Insights events detect unusual API activity but do not change which events are logged. The base event logging must still include data events.
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 developer needs to ensure that every cryptographic operation performed on an AWS KMS customer master key (CMK) used for server-side encryption in Amazon S3 is recorded in AWS CloudTrail for auditing. The developer has already enabled CloudTrail and is logging management events. However, the security team wants to see all calls to the KMS Decrypt and Encrypt APIs for this specific key. What must the developer do?
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
Enable CloudTrail data events for the specific KMS key ARN.
Option C is correct because CloudTrail data events can be configured to log individual API operations (such as Decrypt and Encrypt) on specific KMS keys. By default, CloudTrail management events do not include these data-plane operations; enabling data events for the specific KMS key ARN ensures every cryptographic call is recorded for auditing.
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.
- ✗
Enable CloudTrail data events for the S3 bucket containing the encrypted objects.
Why it's wrong here
S3 data events log S3 object-level operations (e.g., GetObject, PutObject), not KMS API calls. The KMS operations are separate.
- ✗
Create an additional CloudTrail trail that logs all management events for the KMS key.
Why it's wrong here
Management events already include KMS management operations, but not data operations like Encrypt and Decrypt. A separate trail will still only log management events unless data events are configured.
- ✓
Enable CloudTrail data events for the specific KMS key ARN.
Why this is correct
CloudTrail data events for KMS record every call to Decrypt, Encrypt, GenerateDataKey, etc. By specifying the key ARN in the data event selector, only operations on that key are logged, meeting the audit requirement without excessive logging.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable CloudTrail Insights events on the existing trail.
Why it's wrong here
Insights events detect unusual API activity but do not change which events are logged. The base event logging must still include data events.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse S3 server-side encryption with KMS data events, assuming that logging S3 bucket data events will capture KMS calls, when in fact KMS data-plane operations require explicit data event logging on the KMS key itself.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
KMS distinguishes between management-plane (e.g., CreateKey, ScheduleKeyDeletion) and data-plane (e.g., Encrypt, Decrypt, GenerateDataKey) operations. CloudTrail data events must be explicitly enabled per KMS key ARN to log data-plane calls; this is often required for compliance frameworks like PCI-DSS or SOC 2 that mandate full audit trails of encryption operations. Note that enabling data events for all KMS keys can incur additional CloudTrail costs, so targeting a specific key ARN is both precise and cost-effective.
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.
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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: Enable CloudTrail data events for the specific KMS key ARN. — Option C is correct because CloudTrail data events can be configured to log individual API operations (such as Decrypt and Encrypt) on specific KMS keys. By default, CloudTrail management events do not include these data-plane operations; enabling data events for the specific KMS key ARN ensures every cryptographic call is recorded for auditing.
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 11, 2026
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