- A
Use AWS Backup to manage retention and deletion.
Why wrong: AWS Backup is not designed for CloudTrail log lifecycle management.
- B
Enable S3 Object Lock in compliance mode on the bucket.
Why wrong: Object lock prevents deletion, but the policy requires deletion after 7 years; compliance mode prevents deletion altogether.
- C
Configure the S3 bucket policy to deny s3:DeleteObject actions for all principals.
This prevents accidental deletion of logs before the retention period expires.
- D
Enable S3 Versioning and create a lifecycle policy to delete noncurrent versions.
Why wrong: Versioning is not required; the policy should delete the objects themselves, not just noncurrent versions.
- E
Create an S3 Lifecycle policy that expires objects after 2555 days (7 years).
Lifecycle expiration automatically deletes objects after the specified number of days.
SCS-C02 Management and Security Governance Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of management and security governance. 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 implementing a data retention policy for CloudTrail logs. The logs are stored in an S3 bucket. The policy requires that logs be retained for 7 years and then automatically deleted. Which TWO actions should the security engineer take to meet this requirement?
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
Configure the S3 bucket policy to deny s3:DeleteObject actions for all principals.
Combining S3 lifecycle expiration with object lock or bucket policy is not needed. The simplest is to use S3 lifecycle policy to expire objects after 7 years. Option D ensures that logs are not deleted prematurely before the retention period ends.
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 Backup to manage retention and deletion.
Why it's wrong here
AWS Backup is not designed for CloudTrail log lifecycle management.
- ✗
Enable S3 Object Lock in compliance mode on the bucket.
Why it's wrong here
Object lock prevents deletion, but the policy requires deletion after 7 years; compliance mode prevents deletion altogether.
- ✓
Configure the S3 bucket policy to deny s3:DeleteObject actions for all principals.
Why this is correct
This prevents accidental deletion of logs before the retention period expires.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- ✗
Enable S3 Versioning and create a lifecycle policy to delete noncurrent versions.
Why it's wrong here
Versioning is not required; the policy should delete the objects themselves, not just noncurrent versions.
- ✓
Create an S3 Lifecycle policy that expires objects after 2555 days (7 years).
Why this is correct
Lifecycle expiration automatically deletes objects after the specified number of days.
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 SCS-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
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Management and Security Governance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Management and Security Governance — This question tests Management and Security Governance — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure the S3 bucket policy to deny s3:DeleteObject actions for all principals. — Combining S3 lifecycle expiration with object lock or bucket policy is not needed. The simplest is to use S3 lifecycle policy to expire objects after 7 years. Option D ensures that logs are not deleted prematurely before the retention period ends.
What should I do if I get this SCS-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 SCS-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This SCS-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 SCS-C02 exam.
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