- A
Use AWS Config rules to detect unencrypted buckets and trigger a Lambda function to encrypt them retroactively.
Why wrong: Reactive approach; does not prevent creation of non-compliant buckets.
- B
Attach a service control policy (SCP) to the root organizational unit that denies s3:PutBucketEncryption unless the specified KMS key is used.
SCPs can enforce policies across all accounts in an OU, including preventing non-compliant actions.
- C
Deploy a CloudFormation StackSet that creates a bucket policy in each account requiring encryption.
Why wrong: Bucket policies do not override account-level permissions for bucket creation.
- D
Create an IAM policy in each account that denies PutBucketEncryption unless the specified KMS key is used.
Why wrong: Requires manual per-account configuration and does not prevent root user actions.
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions for organizational complexity. 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 company has multiple AWS accounts managed through AWS Organizations. The security team wants to enforce that all S3 buckets across all accounts are encrypted with a specific KMS key. What is the MOST efficient way to achieve this?
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
Attach a service control policy (SCP) to the root organizational unit that denies s3:PutBucketEncryption unless the specified KMS key is used.
Using an SCP under the root OU prevents any account from creating unencrypted buckets or using a different KMS key. Option A is wrong because individual account IAM policies are harder to manage at scale. Option C is wrong because AWS Config can detect but not enforce. Option D is wrong because CloudFormation StackSets require manual deployment to each account.
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 Config rules to detect unencrypted buckets and trigger a Lambda function to encrypt them retroactively.
Why it's wrong here
Reactive approach; does not prevent creation of non-compliant buckets.
- ✓
Attach a service control policy (SCP) to the root organizational unit that denies s3:PutBucketEncryption unless the specified KMS key is used.
Why this is correct
SCPs can enforce policies across all accounts in an OU, including preventing non-compliant actions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Deploy a CloudFormation StackSet that creates a bucket policy in each account requiring encryption.
Why it's wrong here
Bucket policies do not override account-level permissions for bucket creation.
- ✗
Create an IAM policy in each account that denies PutBucketEncryption unless the specified KMS key is used.
Why it's wrong here
Requires manual per-account configuration and does not prevent root user actions.
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.
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Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
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: Attach a service control policy (SCP) to the root organizational unit that denies s3:PutBucketEncryption unless the specified KMS key is used. — Using an SCP under the root OU prevents any account from creating unencrypted buckets or using a different KMS key. Option A is wrong because individual account IAM policies are harder to manage at scale. Option C is wrong because AWS Config can detect but not enforce. Option D is wrong because CloudFormation StackSets require manual deployment to each account.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This SAP-C02 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 SAP-C02 exam.
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