- A
SSEAlgorithm: 'AES256'
Why wrong: SSEAlgorithm is not a valid parameter; the correct parameter is ServerSideEncryption.
- B
SSEKMSKeyId: 'alias/aws/s3'
Why wrong: The key ID is optional; the required parameter is ServerSideEncryption.
- C
ServerSideEncryption: 'aws:kms'
This specifies SSE-KMS encryption.
- D
ServerSideEncryption: 'AES256'
Why wrong: AES256 is for SSE-S3, not SSE-KMS.
Question 1,050 of 1,616
How to Encrypt S3 Objects with SSE-KMS Using the AWS SDK
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of development with aws services. 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 is using the AWS SDK for Python (Boto3) to upload objects to an S3 bucket. The developer wants to encrypt the objects at rest using server-side encryption with AWS KMS managed keys (SSE-KMS). Which parameter should the developer include in the put_object call?
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
✓
ServerSideEncryption: 'aws:kms'
To use server-side encryption with AWS KMS managed keys (SSE-KMS) when uploading an object to S3 via the put_object call, you must set the ServerSideEncryption parameter to 'aws:kms'. This tells S3 to encrypt the object using a KMS key. Option C is correct because it specifies the exact value required for SSE-KMS encryption.
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.
- ✗
SSEAlgorithm: 'AES256'
Why it's wrong here
SSEAlgorithm is not a valid parameter; the correct parameter is ServerSideEncryption.
- ✗
SSEKMSKeyId: 'alias/aws/s3'
Why it's wrong here
The key ID is optional; the required parameter is ServerSideEncryption.
- ✓
ServerSideEncryption: 'aws:kms'
Why this is correct
This specifies SSE-KMS encryption.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
ServerSideEncryption: 'AES256'
Why it's wrong here
AES256 is for SSE-S3, not SSE-KMS.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the parameter values for SSE-S3 ('AES256') and SSE-KMS ('aws:kms'), or mistakenly think SSEKMSKeyId alone enables KMS encryption without the required ServerSideEncryption parameter.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When you set ServerSideEncryption to 'aws:kms', S3 automatically requests a data key from AWS KMS to encrypt the object, and the encrypted data key is stored with the object metadata. If you omit the SSEKMSKeyId parameter, S3 uses the default KMS key (aws/s3), but you can specify a customer-managed key by providing its key ID or alias. This distinction is critical for compliance scenarios where you must enforce specific KMS keys for encryption.
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?
Development with AWS Services — This question tests Development with AWS Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: ServerSideEncryption: 'aws:kms' — To use server-side encryption with AWS KMS managed keys (SSE-KMS) when uploading an object to S3 via the put_object call, you must set the ServerSideEncryption parameter to 'aws:kms'. This tells S3 to encrypt the object using a KMS key. Option C is correct because it specifies the exact value required for SSE-KMS encryption.
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: Jul 4, 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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