- A
Add a condition in the key policy that allows decrypt only when the principal matches the desired IAM roles.
Conditions can restrict decryption to specific roles.
- B
Grant all IAM users decrypt permission and rely on S3 bucket policies.
Why wrong: This is insecure and not recommended.
- C
Create an IAM policy that grants kms:Decrypt only to the specific roles.
IAM policies can grant decrypt permissions to roles.
- D
Create a customer-managed customer master key (CMK) in KMS.
Customer-managed CMKs allow custom key policies.
- E
Use separate CMKs for each IAM role to isolate access.
Why wrong: This adds complexity without necessity; a condition can suffice.
Question 165 of 1,616
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 uses AWS KMS to encrypt data in S3. The security team wants to ensure that only specific IAM roles can decrypt the data. Which THREE steps should be taken?
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
✓
Add a condition in the key policy that allows decrypt only when the principal matches the desired IAM roles.
Option A is correct because key policies in AWS KMS are resource-based policies that directly control access to the CMK. By adding a condition that restricts the `kms:Decrypt` action to only specific IAM roles (using the `aws:PrincipalArn` or `kms:CallerPrincipal` condition key), the security team can ensure that only those roles can decrypt data encrypted with that key. This approach is more secure than relying solely on IAM policies, as key policies are evaluated first and can explicitly deny access even if an IAM policy grants it.
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.
- ✓
Add a condition in the key policy that allows decrypt only when the principal matches the desired IAM roles.
Why this is correct
Conditions can restrict decryption to specific roles.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Grant all IAM users decrypt permission and rely on S3 bucket policies.
Why it's wrong here
This is insecure and not recommended.
- ✓
Create an IAM policy that grants kms:Decrypt only to the specific roles.
Why this is correct
IAM policies can grant decrypt permissions to roles.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Create a customer-managed customer master key (CMK) in KMS.
Why this is correct
Customer-managed CMKs allow custom key policies.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use separate CMKs for each IAM role to isolate access.
Why it's wrong here
This adds complexity without necessity; a condition can suffice.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often think IAM policies alone are sufficient for KMS access control, but they forget that KMS key policies are the primary mechanism and must explicitly allow IAM policies to take effect; otherwise, even if an IAM policy grants `kms:Decrypt`, the key policy will deny the request.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, AWS KMS evaluates key policies before IAM policies when determining access to a CMK. The `kms:Decrypt` permission is granted by the key policy, and IAM policies can only grant additional permissions if the key policy explicitly allows it (e.g., via a root principal). A common real-world scenario is using the `kms:ViaService` condition key to restrict decryption to requests originating from a specific AWS service, but here the requirement is role-specific, so `aws:PrincipalArn` is more appropriate. Additionally, the `kms:GrantIsForAWSAccount` condition can be used to prevent cross-account access.
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: Add a condition in the key policy that allows decrypt only when the principal matches the desired IAM roles. — Option A is correct because key policies in AWS KMS are resource-based policies that directly control access to the CMK. By adding a condition that restricts the `kms:Decrypt` action to only specific IAM roles (using the `aws:PrincipalArn` or `kms:CallerPrincipal` condition key), the security team can ensure that only those roles can decrypt data encrypted with that key. This approach is more secure than relying solely on IAM policies, as key policies are evaluated first and can explicitly deny access even if an IAM policy grants it.
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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