The correct approach is to share the encrypted EBS snapshot and update the KMS key policy to allow the target account to use the key. This works because AWS KMS enforces cross-account access exclusively through key policies—simply sharing the snapshot is insufficient; the key policy must explicitly grant the target account permissions for kms:Decrypt and kms:CreateGrant, enabling it to decrypt the snapshot and create volumes or copies. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the interplay between EBS snapshot sharing and KMS key policies, often appearing as a distractor where candidates mistakenly think IAM policies alone suffice. A common trap is assuming that modifying the source account’s IAM role can grant cross-account access, but KMS key policies are the sole mechanism for this. Memory tip: “Key policy for cross-account, IAM for same-account”—if you need to share an encrypted snapshot across accounts, always update the key policy first.
DOP-C02 Security and Compliance Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 EBS volumes. The security team wants to ensure that EBS snapshots are shared with another account without exposing the underlying data. What is the correct approach?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Share the encrypted snapshot and update the KMS key policy to allow the target account to use the key.
Option D is correct because sharing an encrypted EBS snapshot requires the KMS key policy to grant the target account permission to use the key (via kms:Decrypt and kms:CreateGrant). Without this, the target account cannot decrypt the snapshot to create volumes or copies. AWS KMS enforces that the key policy explicitly allows cross-account access, and the target account must have the corresponding IAM permissions.
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.
✗
Share the encrypted snapshot without modifying the KMS key policy.
Why it's wrong here
Target account will not have decrypt permission.
✗
Create an unencrypted copy of the snapshot and share it.
Why it's wrong here
Unencrypted snapshots expose data.
✗
Share the encrypted snapshot and also share the KMS key with the target account.
Why it's wrong here
Sharing KMS key directly is not secure; use cross-account key policy.
✓
Share the encrypted snapshot and update the KMS key policy to allow the target account to use the key.
Why this is correct
Target account can then create encrypted volumes from the snapshot.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse sharing the KMS key itself (which is impossible) with updating the key policy to grant cross-account usage, leading them to select Option C.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, cross-account EBS snapshot sharing with encryption uses a combination of KMS key policy grants (kms:Decrypt, kms:CreateGrant, kms:DescribeKey) and IAM policies. The target account must call CopySnapshot with the SourceRegion and DestinationRegion, and AWS KMS validates the key policy grant before allowing decryption. A common real-world scenario is sharing snapshots across AWS Organizations, where you must also ensure the key policy includes the organization ID to simplify management.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
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 and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Share the encrypted snapshot and update the KMS key policy to allow the target account to use the key. — Option D is correct because sharing an encrypted EBS snapshot requires the KMS key policy to grant the target account permission to use the key (via kms:Decrypt and kms:CreateGrant). Without this, the target account cannot decrypt the snapshot to create volumes or copies. AWS KMS enforces that the key policy explicitly allows cross-account access, and the target account must have the corresponding IAM permissions.
What should I do if I get this DOP-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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