The correct answer involves three steps: configuring a bucket policy to deny requests that do not use HTTPS, enabling S3 default encryption with SSE-KMS, and using bucket policies to restrict access to authorized principals. This combination ensures encryption in transit is enforced at the policy level, while encryption at rest is handled server-side with AWS Key Management Service, giving you control over the encryption keys and audit trails. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your ability to layer security controls—policy-based enforcement for transport security and server-side encryption for data at rest—without overcomplicating the solution. A common trap is choosing client-side encryption or public access settings; remember that SSE-KMS is the recommended managed approach for sensitive data, and bucket policies are the correct mechanism to mandate HTTPS. Memory tip: think “Policy for transit, KMS for rest, IAM for access.”
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 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.
Enforce encryption in transit (HTTPS) via bucket policy. Enable S3 default encryption with SSE-KMS. Use bucket policies to restrict access to authorized principals. Option D (public access) is wrong. Option E (client-side encryption) is not required.
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.
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
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✓
Configure the bucket policy to deny requests that do not use HTTPS.
Why this is correct
Enforces encryption in transit.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
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: 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.
Design for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable S3 default encryption with SSE-KMS. — Enforce encryption in transit (HTTPS) via bucket policy. Enable S3 default encryption with SSE-KMS. Use bucket policies to restrict access to authorized principals. Option D (public access) is wrong. Option E (client-side encryption) is not required.
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.
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 company is designing a new application that will use Amazon S3 to store user-uploaded images. The application must enforce that all uploads are encrypted in transit and at rest. Additionally, the bucket must be configured to block all public access. Which TWO actions should be taken to meet these requirements?
medium
A.Use server-side encryption with customer-provided keys (SSE-C).
✓ B.Enable default encryption on the S3 bucket using SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS.
C.Use Amazon CloudFront to serve the images and enforce HTTPS.
D.Create a bucket policy that denies uploads without encryption in transit.
✓ E.Configure the S3 Block Public Access settings to block all public access.
Why B: Option A is correct because enabling S3 default encryption ensures objects are encrypted at rest. Option D is correct because blocking public access via the Block Public Access settings is a bucket-level control. Option B is wrong because bucket policies are not used for encryption. Option C is wrong because CloudFront is not related to S3 encryption. Option E is wrong because SSE-C is client-managed, but the question does not specify client-managed keys.
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.