- A
Create an S3 gateway VPC endpoint and associate it with the private subnets' route tables.
A gateway endpoint lets private instances reach S3 without traversing a NAT Gateway. This reduces cost while keeping the traffic on the AWS network path.
- B
Add a bucket policy that denies requests when aws:SecureTransport is false.
The SecureTransport condition enforces HTTPS and blocks plain HTTP uploads. This directly meets the requirement that all artifact transfers use TLS in transit.
- C
Add a bucket policy condition that requires SSE-KMS using the approved CMK for uploads.
Requiring SSE-KMS and the approved key ensures artifacts are encrypted at rest with the organization's chosen customer managed key. This prevents accidental use of unapproved encryption settings.
- D
Deploy a NAT Gateway in each Availability Zone and route artifact traffic through it.
Why wrong: A NAT Gateway would work for connectivity, but it creates exactly the cost the team wants to remove. The gateway endpoint is the cost-optimized private option.
- E
Use the S3 static website endpoint because it automatically enforces HTTPS.
Why wrong: S3 website endpoints are not the right choice for private CI uploads and do not provide the required transport and encryption controls. They are intended for public website hosting patterns.
Quick Answer
The answer is to create an S3 VPC gateway endpoint, add a bucket policy condition requiring TLS, and enforce SSE-KMS with the approved customer managed key. This configuration is correct because the S3 VPC gateway endpoint allows EC2 instances in private subnets to access S3 over AWS’s internal network, eliminating NAT Gateway costs entirely, while the bucket policy’s condition key for aws:SecureTransport forces all uploads to use TLS, and a separate condition requiring the s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption-aws-kms-key-id parameter ensures only the approved CMK is used for SSE-KMS. On the SAA-C03 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how gateway endpoints differ from interface endpoints and how bucket policy conditions can enforce encryption and transport security without additional infrastructure. A common trap is confusing gateway endpoints with NAT Gateways or forgetting that bucket policies must explicitly deny non-compliant requests. Memory tip: “Gateway for free, TLS and KMS in the policy—three changes, no NAT fee.”
SAA-C03 Design Secure Architectures Practice Question
This SAA-C03 practice question tests your understanding of design secure architectures. 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 CI system runs on EC2 instances in private subnets and uploads build artifacts to an S3 bucket. The security team wants to eliminate NAT Gateway costs, force all uploads to use TLS, and require SSE-KMS with an approved customer managed key. Which three changes should be made? Select three.
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
Create an S3 gateway VPC endpoint and associate it with the private subnets' route tables.
Option A is correct because creating an S3 gateway VPC endpoint allows EC2 instances in private subnets to access S3 without traversing the internet, eliminating the need for a NAT Gateway and its associated costs. The endpoint uses AWS’s internal network, and associating it with the private subnets' route tables ensures traffic to S3 is routed through the endpoint.
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.
- ✓
Create an S3 gateway VPC endpoint and associate it with the private subnets' route tables.
- ✓
Add a bucket policy that denies requests when aws:SecureTransport is false.
- ✓
Add a bucket policy condition that requires SSE-KMS using the approved CMK for uploads.
Why this is correct
Requiring SSE-KMS and the approved key ensures artifacts are encrypted at rest with the organization's chosen customer managed key. This prevents accidental use of unapproved encryption settings.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Deploy a NAT Gateway in each Availability Zone and route artifact traffic through it.
- ✗
Use the S3 static website endpoint because it automatically enforces HTTPS.
Why it's wrong here
S3 website endpoints are not the right choice for private CI uploads and do not provide the required transport and encryption controls. They are intended for public website hosting patterns.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume a NAT Gateway is required for private subnet internet access, but an S3 gateway VPC endpoint provides direct, cost-free connectivity to S3 without internet routing.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
An S3 gateway VPC endpoint uses prefix lists and route table entries to direct traffic to S3 over the AWS backbone, avoiding data transfer costs and NAT Gateway hourly charges. The bucket policy conditions for `aws:SecureTransport` and `s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption-aws-kms-key-id` enforce TLS and SSE-KMS at the API level, ensuring compliance even if the endpoint is used. Under the hood, the gateway endpoint leverages AWS PrivateLink for S3, but unlike interface endpoints, it does not require an ENI and works via route propagation.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Design Secure Architectures — This question tests Design Secure Architectures — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an S3 gateway VPC endpoint and associate it with the private subnets' route tables. — Option A is correct because creating an S3 gateway VPC endpoint allows EC2 instances in private subnets to access S3 without traversing the internet, eliminating the need for a NAT Gateway and its associated costs. The endpoint uses AWS’s internal network, and associating it with the private subnets' route tables ensures traffic to S3 is routed through the endpoint.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 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 11, 2026
This SAA-C03 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 SAA-C03 exam.
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