The answer is the KMS key policy in the logging account does not grant the VPC Flow Logs service principal permission to use the key. This is because AWS KMS enforces a two-layer permission model: even if an IAM role has full permissions to deliver logs to S3, the key policy itself must explicitly allow the VPC Flow Logs service principal (delivery.logs.amazonaws.com) to perform the kms:Encrypt and kms:GenerateDataKey actions. Without this, the encryption operation fails silently, and logs never reach the central bucket. On the SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that key policies are resource-based and override IAM permissions for cross-account or service principal access—a common trap is assuming IAM roles alone suffice. Remember the memory tip: “Key policy first, IAM second; if the key says no, the logs don’t go.”
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions for organizational complexity. 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 has a multi-account AWS environment with a central logging account and multiple workload accounts. The security team requires that all VPC Flow Logs be delivered to a central S3 bucket in the logging account. The VPC Flow Logs are encrypted with a customer-managed KMS key in the logging account. The workload accounts have created VPC Flow Logs, but the logs are not appearing in the central S3 bucket. The IAM role used by VPC Flow Logs in the workload accounts has the necessary permissions to deliver logs to the central S3 bucket. What is the most likely cause of the issue?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The KMS key policy in the logging account does not grant the VPC Flow Logs service principal permission to use the key.
Option A is correct because the KMS key policy must grant the VPC Flow Logs service principal permission to use the key for encryption. Even if the IAM role has permissions, the key policy is separate and must be explicitly set. Option B is wrong because bucket policies are evaluated after key policy; bucket policy is not the issue here. Option C is wrong because VPC Flow Logs do not use CloudWatch Logs for S3 delivery directly. Option D is wrong because bucket policies are not the primary issue; the key policy is missing.
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.
✗
The VPC Flow Logs are being delivered to CloudWatch Logs instead of S3.
Why it's wrong here
If configured for S3, they go directly to S3.
✗
The S3 bucket policy denies access to the workload accounts.
Why it's wrong here
Bucket policy is likely correct if IAM role has permissions.
✗
The S3 bucket has a bucket policy that requires encryption in transit.
Why it's wrong here
Not relevant to missing logs.
✓
The KMS key policy in the logging account does not grant the VPC Flow Logs service principal permission to use the key.
Why this is correct
Key policy must allow the service principal from workload accounts.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
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.
Detailed technical explanation
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.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — This question tests Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The KMS key policy in the logging account does not grant the VPC Flow Logs service principal permission to use the key. — Option A is correct because the KMS key policy must grant the VPC Flow Logs service principal permission to use the key for encryption. Even if the IAM role has permissions, the key policy is separate and must be explicitly set. Option B is wrong because bucket policies are evaluated after key policy; bucket policy is not the issue here. Option C is wrong because VPC Flow Logs do not use CloudWatch Logs for S3 delivery directly. Option D is wrong because bucket policies are not the primary issue; the key policy is missing.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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