The answer is to combine an SCP that denies `s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock` with AWS Config rules and automated remediation. This works because the SCP at the root organizational unit acts as a preventive guardrail, blocking any attempt to disable public access settings across all accounts, while AWS Config continuously evaluates each bucket for encryption and public access compliance, triggering Systems Manager Automation documents to automatically fix any non-compliant resources. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of the layered defense model: SCPs for organization-wide policy enforcement and Config for detective and corrective controls. A common trap is to rely solely on SCPs, forgetting that SCPs cannot retroactively fix existing buckets or enforce encryption settings—they only block API calls. For memory, think "SCP blocks the door, Config locks the windows."
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 uses AWS Organizations with multiple accounts. The security team wants to enforce that all S3 buckets are encrypted with AES-256 (SSE-S3) and that no public access is allowed. Which TWO methods can be used to enforce these requirements across all accounts? (Choose TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use AWS Config rules with automatic remediation to detect and fix non-compliant buckets.
Option A is correct because AWS Config rules can evaluate S3 bucket configurations against desired settings (e.g., encryption enabled, public access blocked) and trigger automatic remediation via AWS Systems Manager Automation documents to fix non-compliant buckets. This provides continuous enforcement across all accounts in the organization without manual intervention.
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 AWS Config rules with automatic remediation to detect and fix non-compliant buckets.
Why this is correct
Config rules can evaluate and remediate.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Attach an IAM policy to all IAM users in each account that denies unencrypted operations.
Why it's wrong here
IAM policies are per-account and do not cover service roles or resources.
✓
Use an SCP in the root organizational unit to deny 's3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock' and enforce encryption settings.
Why this is correct
SCPs can restrict actions across all accounts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable AWS CloudTrail to log all S3 API calls and send alerts.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail logs but does not enforce.
✗
Use AWS Trusted Advisor to check for unencrypted buckets.
Why it's wrong here
Trusted Advisor only recommends, does not enforce.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse SCPs with IAM policies, thinking SCPs can grant permissions (they only deny), or they assume CloudTrail or Trusted Advisor can enforce security requirements when they are only detective or advisory tools.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Config evaluates resource configurations against rules defined in AWS Config managed rules or custom Lambda functions; for automatic remediation, it uses SSM Automation documents that can run actions like 'aws s3api put-bucket-encryption' or 'aws s3api put-public-access-block'. SCPs in AWS Organizations can deny specific S3 API actions (e.g., 's3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock' to prevent disabling public access blocks, or 's3:PutEncryptionConfiguration' to enforce encryption) at the account level, overriding any IAM permissions. The combination of Config with remediation and SCPs provides both detective and preventive controls across the entire organization.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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 AWS Config rules with automatic remediation to detect and fix non-compliant buckets. — Option A is correct because AWS Config rules can evaluate S3 bucket configurations against desired settings (e.g., encryption enabled, public access blocked) and trigger automatic remediation via AWS Systems Manager Automation documents to fix non-compliant buckets. This provides continuous enforcement across all accounts in the organization without manual intervention.
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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Question Discussion
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