The answer is to use a Service Control Policy (SCP) that denies the ec2:CreateVolume action when the encryption condition is false. This is the strongest preventive control because SCPs operate as a guardrail at the AWS Organizations level, blocking the API call before any resource is created, which eliminates the need for custom operational scripts or post-creation remediation. On the SAA-C03 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of preventive versus detective controls, with SCPs being the classic example of a preventive guardrail that enforces compliance at scale. A common trap is to choose AWS Config rules or Lambda-based remediation, but those are detective or corrective, not preventive. Remember the memory tip: “SCP stops it at the door—no script, no chore.”
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. A key principle to apply: sCPs define maximum available permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization.. 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 healthcare document service must ensure that only encrypted EBS volumes can be created in the account. What is the strongest preventive control? The design must avoid adding custom operational scripts.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use an SCP that denies ec2:CreateVolume when the encrypted condition is false
AWS Organizations Service Control Policies (SCPs) provide a preventive guardrail that can deny the ec2:CreateVolume API call when the encryption condition is false, ensuring that no unencrypted EBS volumes can be created in the account. This is the strongest preventive control because it blocks the action at the API level before any resource is created, and it does not require custom scripts or post-creation remediation. The condition key ec2:Encrypted must be set to true in the SCP policy to enforce encryption at creation time.
Key principle: SCPs define maximum available permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization.
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 an SCP that denies ec2:CreateVolume when the encrypted condition is false
Why this is correct
An SCP can prevent noncompliant volume creation across accounts in an organization.
Related concept
SCPs define maximum available permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization.
✗
Tag encrypted volumes after creation
Why it's wrong here
Tags identify resources but do not enforce encryption.
✗
Enable VPC Flow Logs
Why it's wrong here
Flow Logs monitor network traffic and do not control EBS encryption.
✗
Run a daily Lambda function to encrypt unencrypted volumes
Why it's wrong here
Reactive remediation leaves a window of exposure.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse detective or corrective controls (like tagging, Lambda remediation, or logging) with preventive controls, and fail to recognize that SCPs can enforce encryption at the API level without custom scripts.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SCPs use AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) policy language with the ec2:Encrypted condition key to evaluate the encryption state of the volume at the time of the CreateVolume API call. The SCP is applied at the root or organizational unit (OU) level and overrides any IAM permissions within the account, making it a hard boundary that cannot be bypassed by account administrators. This approach aligns with the AWS Well-Architected Framework's security pillar by implementing preventive controls that enforce encryption by default.
KKey Concepts to Remember
SCPs define maximum available permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization.
SCPs are preventive controls, blocking actions before they occur.
SCPs are evaluated before IAM policies.
SCPs can use conditions to enforce specific resource configurations like encryption.
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
SCPs define maximum available permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review sCPs define maximum available permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization., then practise related SAA-C03 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Design Secure Architectures — This question tests Design Secure Architectures — SCPs define maximum available permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use an SCP that denies ec2:CreateVolume when the encrypted condition is false — AWS Organizations Service Control Policies (SCPs) provide a preventive guardrail that can deny the ec2:CreateVolume API call when the encryption condition is false, ensuring that no unencrypted EBS volumes can be created in the account. This is the strongest preventive control because it blocks the action at the API level before any resource is created, and it does not require custom scripts or post-creation remediation. The condition key ec2:Encrypted must be set to true in the SCP policy to enforce encryption at creation time.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 question wrong?
Review sCPs define maximum available permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization., then practise related SAA-C03 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
SCPs define maximum available permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization.
About these practice questions
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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. A healthcare document service must ensure that only encrypted EBS volumes can be created in the account. What is the strongest preventive control?
hard
✓ A.Use an SCP that denies ec2:CreateVolume when the encrypted condition is false
B.Tag encrypted volumes after creation
C.Enable VPC Flow Logs
D.Run a daily Lambda function to encrypt unencrypted volumes
Why A: Option A is correct because an SCP (Service Control Policy) is a preventive control that can deny the ec2:CreateVolume action when the encryption condition (ec2:Encrypted) is false. This ensures that no unencrypted EBS volumes can be created in the account, providing a strong, proactive guardrail that cannot be overridden by IAM policies within the account.
Variation 2. A order processing API must ensure that only encrypted EBS volumes can be created in the account. What is the strongest preventive control?
hard
A.Run a daily Lambda function to encrypt unencrypted volumes
B.Enable VPC Flow Logs
✓ C.Use an SCP that denies ec2:CreateVolume when the encrypted condition is false
D.Tag encrypted volumes after creation
Why C: Option C is correct because Service Control Policies (SCPs) are a preventive control that can deny the ec2:CreateVolume API call when the encryption condition (ec2:Encrypted) is false. This ensures that no unencrypted EBS volumes can be created at the account level, regardless of IAM permissions. SCPs operate at the AWS Organizations root, OU, or account level and are evaluated before any IAM policies, making them the strongest preventive mechanism.
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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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