The answer is to add a bucket policy that denies PutObject without the x-amz-server-side-encryption header. This works because an S3 bucket policy with a condition key like s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption can explicitly reject any upload that lacks the required encryption header, making it impossible to store unencrypted objects. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the difference between default encryption, which silently encrypts objects but does not prevent unencrypted uploads, and a deny-based policy, which actively enforces encryption on S3 uploads. A common trap is confusing default encryption with enforcement—remember that default encryption is a fallback, not a gatekeeper. For a quick memory tip, think "Deny before Default": a bucket policy with a deny condition is the only way to automatically enforce encryption, while default encryption merely applies it after the fact.
SAP-C02 Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of continuous improvement for existing 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 wants to automatically enforce encryption on all new objects uploaded to an S3 bucket. What should they do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add a bucket policy that denies PutObject without the x-amz-server-side-encryption header.
Option D is correct because an S3 bucket policy with a condition that denies PutObject if encryption headers are not present enforces encryption for all new objects. Option A is wrong because default encryption only encrypts objects that don't specify encryption, but doesn't enforce it. Option B is wrong because pre-signed URLs do not enforce encryption. Option C is wrong because CloudFront does not enforce encryption at the S3 level.
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 Amazon CloudFront to enforce HTTPS.
Why it's wrong here
CloudFront enforces HTTPS in transit, not encryption at rest.
✗
Enable S3 default encryption on the bucket.
Why it's wrong here
Default encryption applies to objects without encryption headers, but it does not deny unencrypted uploads.
✗
Require pre-signed URLs for all uploads.
Why it's wrong here
Pre-signed URLs control access but do not enforce encryption.
✓
Add a bucket policy that denies PutObject without the x-amz-server-side-encryption header.
Why this is correct
Bucket policy can deny unencrypted uploads, enforcing encryption.
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.
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — This question tests Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add a bucket policy that denies PutObject without the x-amz-server-side-encryption header. — Option D is correct because an S3 bucket policy with a condition that denies PutObject if encryption headers are not present enforces encryption for all new objects. Option A is wrong because default encryption only encrypts objects that don't specify encryption, but doesn't enforce it. Option B is wrong because pre-signed URLs do not enforce encryption. Option C is wrong because CloudFront does not enforce encryption at the S3 level.
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
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 has an S3 bucket that stores sensitive data. The company wants to ensure that all objects uploaded to the bucket are encrypted at rest. Which solution should the solutions architect recommend?
easy
A.Use a bucket policy to deny uploads that do not include the x-amz-server-side-encryption header.
B.Create an AWS Lambda function that encrypts objects after they are uploaded.
C.Configure an S3 Access Point with a policy that requires encryption.
✓ D.Enable default encryption on the S3 bucket using SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS.
Why D: Option D is correct because S3 default encryption ensures that all objects are encrypted at rest using SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS, regardless of whether the upload request specifies encryption. Option A is wrong because bucket policies cannot enforce encryption; they can deny uploads without encryption headers but are not the simplest method. Option B is wrong because S3 Access Points are used for managing access, not encryption. Option C is wrong while valid, it's more complex than simply enabling default encryption.
Variation 2. A company has an S3 bucket that stores critical data. They need to ensure that all objects are encrypted at rest. The bucket policy currently denies uploads if the x-amz-server-side-encryption header is not set to AES256. However, some objects are still stored with SSE-KMS. How can the company enforce SSE-S3 exclusively?
hard
A.Use S3 Lifecycle policies to transition objects to SSE-S3.
B.Enable default encryption on the bucket with SSE-S3.
✓ C.Update the bucket policy to deny uploads with SSE-KMS.
D.Use S3 Object Lambda to change encryption.
Why C: Option D is correct because using a bucket policy to deny uploads with SSE-KMS or without encryption ensures only SSE-S3 is allowed. Option A is incorrect because the bucket policy must be updated. Option B is incorrect because default encryption applies to new objects but does not prevent SSE-KMS. Option C is incorrect because lifecycle rules do not change encryption of existing objects.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 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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