The answer is to apply a service control policy (SCP) that denies s3:PutBucketEncryption unless encryption is set. This is correct because SCPs act as a preventive guardrail at the AWS Organizations level, blocking any API call that attempts to create or modify an S3 bucket without specifying KMS encryption, thereby enforcing encryption across all accounts before the bucket even exists. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the difference between detective controls (like AWS Config rules) and preventive controls (like SCPs), with SCPs being the most efficient for organization-wide compliance with minimal ongoing maintenance. A common trap is choosing a Lambda-based remediation, which is reactive and introduces latency, whereas SCPs enforce the policy at the moment of the API call. Memory tip: SCPs are the “bouncer” at the door—they deny entry to non-compliant requests before they ever reach the bucket.
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 has a multi-account AWS environment using AWS Organizations. The security team needs to ensure that all S3 buckets across all accounts are encrypted with AWS KMS. The team wants to automatically remediate any non-compliant buckets created in the future. Which solution is MOST effective and requires the least ongoing maintenance?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Apply a service control policy (SCP) that denies s3:PutBucketEncryption actions unless encryption is set.
Option D is correct because a service control policy (SCP) can deny the creation of S3 buckets without encryption, enforcing compliance across all accounts. Option A is wrong because it relies on Lambda execution after bucket creation, which may have a delay. Option B is wrong because AWS Config rules can detect but not automatically remediate without additional automation. Option C is wrong because CloudTrail logs events but does not prevent non-compliant actions.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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 with auto-remediation using SSM Automation.
Why it's wrong here
Config rules detect but auto-remediation may be complex; SCP is simpler.
✗
Use an AWS Lambda function triggered by S3 bucket creation events to enable encryption.
Why it's wrong here
This is reactive and may have a window of non-compliance.
✗
Enable AWS CloudTrail and create a metric filter to alert on non-encrypted bucket creation.
Why it's wrong here
This only alerts; it does not prevent or automatically remediate.
✓
Apply a service control policy (SCP) that denies s3:PutBucketEncryption actions unless encryption is set.
Why this is correct
SCP proactively denies non-compliant actions, enforcing encryption at creation time.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
The first matching ACL entry is used.
There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
→Check inbound versus outbound direction.
→Read the ACL from top to bottom.
→Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SAP-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — This question tests Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Apply a service control policy (SCP) that denies s3:PutBucketEncryption actions unless encryption is set. — Option D is correct because a service control policy (SCP) can deny the creation of S3 buckets without encryption, enforcing compliance across all accounts. Option A is wrong because it relies on Lambda execution after bucket creation, which may have a delay. Option B is wrong because AWS Config rules can detect but not automatically remediate without additional automation. Option C is wrong because CloudTrail logs events but does not prevent non-compliant actions.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SAP-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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 financial services company has a multi-account AWS Organization with hundreds of accounts. The security team needs to ensure that all S3 buckets across the organization are encrypted at rest and that no public read access is allowed. They want a solution that automatically remediates non-compliant buckets in real time. What is the MOST scalable and operationally efficient approach?
hard
A.Use Service Control Policies to deny PutBucketPolicy that allows public access and require encryption
✓ B.Use AWS Config conformance packs with remediation actions through AWS Systems Manager Automation
C.Use Amazon CloudWatch Events to detect bucket creation and trigger a Lambda function to apply encryption
D.Use AWS Config rules and AWS Lambda functions to scan buckets daily and send alerts
Why B: Option D is correct because AWS Config rules with automatic remediation via Systems Manager Automation documents can enforce encryption and public access settings across accounts using an organization-wide conformance pack. Option A is too manual. Option B (Service Control Policies) can prevent public access but not enforce encryption on existing buckets. Option C (CloudWatch Events) requires per-account setup and custom Lambda functions.
Variation 2. A company has a multi-account strategy using AWS Organizations. They want to enforce that all newly created S3 buckets in any account have server-side encryption enabled. What is the most scalable solution?
hard
A.Configure AWS CloudFormation StackSets to deploy a bucket creation template with encryption.
✓ B.Apply a service control policy (SCP) that denies PutBucketEncryption with no encryption.
C.Create an AWS Config rule in each account to remediate non-compliant buckets.
D.Use AWS CloudTrail to detect bucket creation and trigger a Lambda function to enable encryption.
Why B: Using an SCP in AWS Organizations to deny creation of buckets without encryption is the most scalable solution, as it applies to all accounts in the organization. Option B is correct. Option A is per-account. Option C is reactive. Option D is not scalable across accounts.
Variation 3. A company uses AWS Organizations with multiple accounts. The security team wants to enforce that all new S3 buckets are encrypted using AES-256. What is the MOST effective way to enforce this requirement?
medium
✓ A.Create an SCP that denies s3:CreateBucket unless encryption is specified.
B.Use CloudTrail to monitor bucket creation and alert security team.
C.Create an SCP that denies s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock without encryption.
D.Use AWS Config rules to detect non-compliant buckets and auto-remediate.
Why A: Option A is correct because a service control policy (SCP) can deny creation of S3 buckets without encryption. Options B, C, and D are not effective at enforcing across all accounts.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.