- A
Enable S3 default encryption with SSE-KMS.
Encrypts data at rest with KMS-managed keys.
- B
Use client-side encryption with a customer key.
Why wrong: Additional complexity; server-side encryption is sufficient.
- C
Use bucket policies to restrict access based on IAM roles.
Ensures only authorized users can access.
- D
Configure the bucket policy to deny requests that do not use HTTPS.
Enforces encryption in transit.
- E
Make the bucket publicly accessible for ease of access.
Why wrong: Public access violates security requirements.
Question 195 of 1,746
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 use Amazon S3 to store sensitive customer data. The data must be encrypted at rest and in transit. The company also needs to ensure that only authorized users can access the data. Which three steps should the company take? (Choose THREE.)
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
✓
Enable S3 default encryption with SSE-KMS.
Option A is correct because enabling S3 default encryption with SSE-KMS ensures that all objects stored in the bucket are encrypted at rest using AWS Key Management Service (KMS) keys. This provides centralized key management, auditability via AWS CloudTrail, and the ability to enforce encryption policies without requiring client-side changes.
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.
- ✓
Enable S3 default encryption with SSE-KMS.
Why this is correct
Encrypts data at rest with KMS-managed keys.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use client-side encryption with a customer key.
Why it's wrong here
Additional complexity; server-side encryption is sufficient.
- ✓
Use bucket policies to restrict access based on IAM roles.
Why this is correct
Ensures only authorized users can access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Configure the bucket policy to deny requests that do not use HTTPS.
Why this is correct
Enforces encryption in transit.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Make the bucket publicly accessible for ease of access.
Why it's wrong here
Public access violates security requirements.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse client-side encryption (which is not an S3-managed encryption option) with server-side encryption, or they may overlook that public access is never acceptable for sensitive data, even if other controls are in place.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SSE-KMS uses envelope encryption where a customer master key (CMK) in AWS KMS generates a data key that encrypts the object, and the encrypted data key is stored alongside the object. For encryption in transit, bucket policies that deny requests without HTTPS enforce TLS 1.2+ by checking the `aws:SecureTransport` condition key, which rejects HTTP requests. Bucket policies combined with IAM roles provide fine-grained access control, ensuring only authorized principals can perform actions like s3:GetObject.
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.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
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.
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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: Enable S3 default encryption with SSE-KMS. — Option A is correct because enabling S3 default encryption with SSE-KMS ensures that all objects stored in the bucket are encrypted at rest using AWS Key Management Service (KMS) keys. This provides centralized key management, auditability via AWS CloudTrail, and the ability to enforce encryption policies without requiring client-side changes.
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.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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