Question 1hardmulti select
Full question →hardmulti selectObjective-mapped
Security responders suspect exfiltration from an Amazon S3 bucket that stores sensitive reports encrypted with a customer managed KMS key. They need to identify which IAM principal downloaded each object and whether any principals called KMS Decrypt on the key during the same time window. Which two detective controls should be enabled? Select two.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Best answer
Enable CloudTrail data events for the S3 bucket.
S3 data events record object-level API activity such as GetObject, PutObject, and DeleteObject, along with the IAM principal or role session that made the call. That visibility is required to determine exactly who downloaded which object and when.
B
Best answer
Include CloudTrail management events for KMS API calls on the customer managed key.
KMS Decrypt and related key operations are logged as management events in CloudTrail. Enabling those events makes it possible to correlate object reads with key usage and confirm whether the ciphertext was actually decrypted during the suspected exfiltration window.
C
Distractor review
Enable S3 Object Lock in compliance mode.
Object Lock protects objects from deletion or overwrite, which is useful for retention and immutability, but it does not provide audit visibility into who downloaded the files. It is a preventive and retention control, not the detective control requested here.
D
Distractor review
Turn on default bucket encryption with SSE-KMS.
Default encryption ensures new objects are stored encrypted at rest, but it does not create an audit trail for object downloads or KMS Decrypt activity. The question asks for investigative visibility, not just encryption configuration.
E
Distractor review
Enable MFA Delete on the bucket.
MFA Delete helps prevent deletion of versions, but it does not log object read activity or KMS API usage. It is unrelated to determining who accessed the data during the incident.
Common exam trap
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.
Technical deep dive
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.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A team needs to distribute TCP traffic (not HTTP) across multiple services. The services must see the original client source IP for auditing. Which AWS load balancer is the best fit?
Question 2
A team wants to run containerized services with AWS-managed orchestration and autoscaling. They do NOT require Kubernetes compatibility. Which AWS service choice is most appropriate to meet these goals?
Question 3
A solutions architect is designing an S3 bucket for a IoT ingestion API. The objects must never be publicly accessible, even if a developer later adds an overly broad bucket policy. What should the architect configure? The design must avoid adding custom operational scripts.
Question 4
A solutions architect is designing an S3 bucket for a claims portal. The objects must never be publicly accessible, even if a developer later adds an overly broad bucket policy. What should the architect configure?
Question 5
A team wants to delegate IAM management to developers, but must ensure developers can never grant themselves permissions beyond a specific limit. Which AWS mechanism best matches this requirement?
Question 6
A solutions architect is designing an S3 bucket for a healthcare document service. The objects must never be publicly accessible, even if a developer later adds an overly broad bucket policy. What should the architect configure?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable CloudTrail data events for the S3 bucket. — To investigate suspected exfiltration, responders need two correlated CloudTrail sources. S3 data events show object-level access and the caller identity for downloads. CloudTrail management events for KMS show Decrypt activity on the customer managed key. Together, those logs identify who accessed the reports and whether the encrypted content was actually decrypted in the same time window. Why others are wrong: Object Lock, default encryption, and MFA Delete are useful controls, but they do not provide the forensic evidence needed to trace object downloads and key usage. This scenario requires detective logging, not only protection or retention features.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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