The answer is to apply an SCP that denies s3:CreateBucket when encryption is not specified, combined with AWS Config rules and Lambda auto-remediation for existing non-compliant buckets. This works because Service Control Policies (SCPs) operate at the AWS Organizations root or OU level, blocking the API call before the bucket is created, regardless of whether it’s made via the console, CLI, or CloudFormation—closing the loophole where Config rules are bypassed. For existing buckets, Config rules with Lambda remediation can be configured to run a manual or scheduled evaluation immediately after enabling the rule, ensuring all pre-existing resources are scanned and fixed. On the SAP-C02 exam, this tests your understanding of preventive versus detective controls in multi-account environments, with a common trap being to rely solely on Config rules without addressing the creation-time gap. Memory tip: SCPs prevent the crime, Config fixes the mess—think “SCP first, Config second.”
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions for organizational complexity. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 over 500 accounts managed through AWS Organizations. The accounts are organized into OUs by business unit. The security team wants to enforce a policy that all S3 buckets must have server-side encryption enabled (SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS). They also want to automatically remediate any existing non-compliant buckets and prevent creation of new non-compliant buckets. Currently, there is no centralized logging or monitoring. The team has tried using AWS Config rules with auto-remediation, but they found that Config rules are not triggered for buckets created before the rule was enabled, and some teams are creating buckets via AWS CloudFormation that bypass the Config rule evaluation. The team needs a solution that covers all buckets, regardless of creation method or time. What should the team do?
Use AWS CloudFormation StackSets to deploy a bucket template that enforces encryption across all accounts.
Why wrong: Does not cover buckets created outside CloudFormation.
B
Apply an SCP that denies s3:CreateBucket if encryption is not specified, and use AWS Config rules with Lambda auto-remediation to fix existing non-compliant buckets.
SCP prevents new non-compliant buckets; Config remediates existing ones.
C
Use AWS CloudTrail to detect non-compliant bucket creation and send alerts to administrators.
Why wrong: Alerts only, no prevention or remediation.
D
Use S3 bucket policies to deny PutObject if encryption is not set.
Why wrong: Does not enforce encryption on the bucket itself.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Apply an SCP that denies s3:CreateBucket if encryption is not specified, and use AWS Config rules with Lambda auto-remediation to fix existing non-compliant buckets.
Option B is correct because an SCP applied at the root or OU level can deny s3:CreateBucket when encryption settings are not specified, preventing creation of non-compliant buckets regardless of the method (console, CLI, CloudFormation). For existing non-compliant buckets, AWS Config rules with Lambda auto-remediation can scan and fix them, and Config rules can be configured to evaluate all existing resources by running a manual or scheduled evaluation after the rule is enabled, addressing the gap where buckets created before the rule was enabled were not evaluated.
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.
✗
Use AWS CloudFormation StackSets to deploy a bucket template that enforces encryption across all accounts.
Why it's wrong here
Does not cover buckets created outside CloudFormation.
✓
Apply an SCP that denies s3:CreateBucket if encryption is not specified, and use AWS Config rules with Lambda auto-remediation to fix existing non-compliant buckets.
Why this is correct
SCP prevents new non-compliant buckets; Config remediates existing ones.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use AWS CloudTrail to detect non-compliant bucket creation and send alerts to administrators.
Why it's wrong here
Alerts only, no prevention or remediation.
✗
Use S3 bucket policies to deny PutObject if encryption is not set.
Why it's wrong here
Does not enforce encryption on the bucket itself.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume AWS Config rules automatically evaluate all existing resources when enabled, but they only evaluate resources on configuration changes after enablement unless a manual or scheduled evaluation is triggered, leading to the misconception that Config alone cannot cover pre-existing buckets.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SCPs are evaluated at the time of the API call and can use condition keys like s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption to enforce encryption parameters during s3:CreateBucket. AWS Config rules can be triggered on a schedule or by configuration changes, and when combined with Lambda auto-remediation, they can invoke the PutBucketEncryption API to enable SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS on existing buckets. A subtle behavior is that Config rules do not automatically evaluate resources created before the rule was enabled unless you run a manual re-evaluation or set the rule to evaluate all resources upon creation, which can be done by using the 'Trigger type' set to 'Configuration changes' and 'Scope' set to 'All resources'.
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 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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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: Apply an SCP that denies s3:CreateBucket if encryption is not specified, and use AWS Config rules with Lambda auto-remediation to fix existing non-compliant buckets. — Option B is correct because an SCP applied at the root or OU level can deny s3:CreateBucket when encryption settings are not specified, preventing creation of non-compliant buckets regardless of the method (console, CLI, CloudFormation). For existing non-compliant buckets, AWS Config rules with Lambda auto-remediation can scan and fix them, and Config rules can be configured to evaluate all existing resources by running a manual or scheduled evaluation after the rule is enabled, addressing the gap where buckets created before the rule was enabled were not evaluated.
What should I do if I get this SAP-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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