The correct answer is SSE-S3 for at-rest encryption and HTTPS for in-transit encryption. SSE-S3 uses S3-managed keys, which are a type of AWS managed key, to encrypt data at rest on the server side before writing it to disk, and decrypts it automatically when accessed, fully satisfying the requirement for AWS managed key usage without any customer key management overhead. HTTPS, or TLS, secures data in transit between the client and S3 by encrypting the communication channel, ensuring end-to-end protection that meets PCI DSS compliance standards. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between server-side encryption options—SSE-S3, SSE-KMS, and SSE-C—and to recognize that PCI DSS does not mandate customer-managed keys, making SSE-S3 the simplest compliant choice. A common trap is assuming SSE-KMS is always required for compliance, but SSE-S3 with HTTPS is fully sufficient here. Memory tip: think "S3 for storage, HTTPS for travel" to pair the right service with the right layer.
SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new solutions. 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 is designing a new application that will store sensitive user data in Amazon S3. The data must be encrypted at rest and in transit. The solution must use AWS managed keys and must be compliant with PCI DSS. Which combination of encryption options should be used?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
SSE-S3 for at-rest encryption and HTTPS for in-transit encryption
Option A is correct because SSE-S3 provides server-side encryption at rest using AWS-managed keys (S3-managed keys), which satisfies the requirement for AWS managed keys. HTTPS ensures encryption in transit, and both are compliant with PCI DSS standards for protecting sensitive data.
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.
✓
SSE-S3 for at-rest encryption and HTTPS for in-transit encryption
Why this is correct
SSE-S3 uses AWS managed keys and HTTPS is standard for in-transit.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Client-side encryption for at-rest and HTTPS for in-transit
Why it's wrong here
Client-side encryption does not use AWS managed keys.
✗
SSE-KMS for at-rest encryption and HTTP for in-transit encryption
SSE-C for at-rest encryption and HTTPS for in-transit
Why it's wrong here
SSE-C uses customer-provided keys, not AWS managed.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse SSE-KMS (which also uses AWS managed keys but adds additional control and cost) with SSE-S3, but SSE-S3 is simpler and fully compliant; the key requirement is 'AWS managed keys,' not necessarily KMS, and SSE-S3 meets that without extra overhead.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SSE-S3 uses AES-256 encryption with keys managed by AWS, automatically encrypting objects upon write and decrypting upon read. HTTPS (TLS 1.2 or higher) ensures data is encrypted during transit, preventing man-in-the-middle attacks. PCI DSS Requirement 3.4 mandates encryption of stored cardholder data, and Requirement 4.1 requires encryption of transmitted data over open networks, both satisfied by this combination.
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 for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: SSE-S3 for at-rest encryption and HTTPS for in-transit encryption — Option A is correct because SSE-S3 provides server-side encryption at rest using AWS-managed keys (S3-managed keys), which satisfies the requirement for AWS managed keys. HTTPS ensures encryption in transit, and both are compliant with PCI DSS standards for protecting sensitive data.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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 company is designing a new application that will store sensitive user data in Amazon S3. Compliance requirements mandate that all data must be encrypted at rest using a key that is managed by the company and rotated automatically every year. Which solution meets these requirements?
medium
✓ A.Use S3 server-side encryption with AWS KMS customer managed keys (SSE-KMS) and enable automatic key rotation.
B.Use client-side encryption with the AWS SDK.
C.Use S3 server-side encryption with customer-provided keys (SSE-C).
D.Use S3 server-side encryption with S3 managed keys (SSE-S3).
Why A: SSE-KMS with a customer managed key (CMK) allows the company to control the key and enable automatic yearly rotation (option D). Option A (SSE-S3) uses AWS-managed keys. Option B (SSE-C) requires the company to manage keys outside AWS. Option C (client-side) stores keys client-side.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
Question Discussion
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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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