- A
SSE-C
Customer-provided encryption keys.
- B
Client-side encryption
Why wrong: Client-side encryption is performed before data is sent to S3, not server-side.
- C
SSE-KMS
AWS KMS-managed keys.
- D
SSE-S3
S3-managed encryption keys.
- E
AWS CloudHSM
Why wrong: CloudHSM is a hardware security module, not a direct encryption option for S3.
Question 905 of 1,616
S3 Server-Side Encryption Options: SSE-S3, SSE-KMS, SSE-C
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 developer needs to encrypt data at rest in an Amazon S3 bucket. Which THREE options are available for server-side encryption?
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
✓
SSE-C
S3 offers three server-side encryption options: SSE-S3 (using S3-managed keys), SSE-KMS (using AWS KMS), and SSE-C (using customer-provided keys).
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.
- ✓
SSE-C
Why this is correct
Customer-provided encryption keys.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Client-side encryption
Why it's wrong here
Client-side encryption is performed before data is sent to S3, not server-side.
- ✓
SSE-KMS
Why this is correct
AWS KMS-managed keys.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
SSE-S3
Why this is correct
S3-managed encryption keys.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
AWS CloudHSM
Why it's wrong here
CloudHSM is a hardware security module, not a direct encryption option for S3.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 DVA-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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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: SSE-C — S3 offers three server-side encryption options: SSE-S3 (using S3-managed keys), SSE-KMS (using AWS KMS), and SSE-C (using customer-provided keys).
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which DVA-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
3 more ways this is tested on DVA-C02
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which TWO services can be used to encrypt data at rest in Amazon S3? (Choose two.)
easy- ✓ A.SSE-KMS
- B.AWS IAM
- C.AWS Certificate Manager (ACM)
- D.AWS CloudHSM
- ✓ E.SSE-S3
Why A: Options A and E are correct. Option A: SSE-KMS uses AWS Key Management Service (KMS) for managing encryption keys, providing additional control and audit capabilities. Option E: SSE-S3 uses S3-managed keys for encryption at rest. Option B is incorrect because AWS IAM is an access management service, not an encryption service. Option C is incorrect because AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) handles SSL/TLS certificates, not data encryption. Option D is incorrect because AWS CloudHSM provides hardware security modules but is not directly integrated with S3 for encryption.
Variation 2. A company stores sensitive customer data in Amazon S3. The security policy requires that all data be encrypted at rest using server-side encryption with a customer-managed AWS KMS key. Which S3 server-side encryption option should the developer use?
easy- A.SSE-S3
- ✓ B.SSE-KMS
- C.SSE-C
- D.Client-side encryption
Why B: SSE-KMS is the correct option because it provides server-side encryption with a customer-managed AWS KMS key, allowing the company to control key rotation, access policies, and audit usage via AWS CloudTrail. This meets the security policy requirement for encryption at rest using a customer-managed key, which SSE-S3 (using AWS-managed keys) and SSE-C (using customer-provided keys) do not fulfill.
Variation 3. A company wants to encrypt data at rest in Amazon S3 using server-side encryption. Which options are managed by AWS KMS? (Choose TWO.)
medium- A.SSE-S3
- ✓ B.SSE-KMS
- ✓ C.Envelope encryption with KMS
- D.SSE-C
- E.Client-side encryption
Why B: SSE-KMS (option B) is a server-side encryption option where AWS KMS manages the customer master key (CMK) used to encrypt S3 objects. Envelope encryption with KMS (option C) is the underlying mechanism used by SSE-KMS, where a data key is generated by KMS to encrypt the object, and that data key is then encrypted by the CMK. Both options involve AWS KMS managing the encryption keys, making them the correct choices for the question.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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.
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