- A
Use AWS CloudHSM to generate a key and store it in a hardware security module.
Why wrong: CloudHSM is for FIPS 140-2 Level 3 compliance, but key rotation and management are more complex compared to KMS.
- B
Use an AWS managed key for S3 and enable automatic rotation.
Why wrong: AWS managed keys cannot be rotated manually and do not allow customer control over rotation schedule.
- C
Use a customer-managed CMK and enable automatic key rotation.
Customer-managed CMKs can be automatically rotated annually, and you can also manually rotate for shorter intervals. Old keys are retained for decryption.
- D
Use a customer-managed CMK and generate a new key every 90 days, re-encrypting all data.
Why wrong: Re-encrypting all data every 90 days is unnecessary and operationally complex; KMS retains old backing keys.
Quick Answer
The answer is to use a customer-managed CMK with automatic key rotation enabled. This is correct because AWS KMS retains all previous backing keys when automatic rotation is turned on, so even after a 90-day rotation cycle, the old encrypted data can still be decrypted seamlessly—the service simply uses the older backing key for decryption while the new key handles encryption. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that customer-managed CMKs support both automatic (annual) and manual rotation, but the key distinction is that KMS never deletes previous key material, ensuring backward compatibility for decrypting old data. A common trap is assuming you need to re-encrypt old data or use a custom key store; instead, the built-in retention of prior keys makes the solution straightforward. Memory tip: “Rotate the key, keep the past—KMS holds the backing keys fast.”
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 financial services company needs to design a solution for storing sensitive customer data that must be encrypted at rest using a customer-managed key stored in AWS Key Management Service (KMS). The data will be accessed by multiple EC2 instances in an Auto Scaling group. The company needs to rotate the key every 90 days and ensure that old encrypted data can still be decrypted. Which key strategy should they use?
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
Use a customer-managed CMK and enable automatic key rotation.
Customer-managed CMKs support automatic key rotation (annual) and manual rotation. Old data remains decryptable because KMS retains previous backing keys. Using a customer-managed CMK allows the customer to control rotation and access policies.
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 CloudHSM to generate a key and store it in a hardware security module.
Why it's wrong here
CloudHSM is for FIPS 140-2 Level 3 compliance, but key rotation and management are more complex compared to KMS.
- ✗
Use an AWS managed key for S3 and enable automatic rotation.
Why it's wrong here
AWS managed keys cannot be rotated manually and do not allow customer control over rotation schedule.
- ✓
Use a customer-managed CMK and enable automatic key rotation.
Why this is correct
Customer-managed CMKs can be automatically rotated annually, and you can also manually rotate for shorter intervals. Old keys are retained for decryption.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use a customer-managed CMK and generate a new key every 90 days, re-encrypting all data.
Why it's wrong here
Re-encrypting all data every 90 days is unnecessary and operationally complex; KMS retains old backing keys.
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 for New Solutions — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
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: Use a customer-managed CMK and enable automatic key rotation. — Customer-managed CMKs support automatic key rotation (annual) and manual rotation. Old data remains decryptable because KMS retains previous backing keys. Using a customer-managed CMK allows the customer to control rotation and access policies.
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.
About these practice questions
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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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