- A
Attach a resource-based policy (key policy) to the KMS key that allows the specific IAM roles.
A key policy can directly specify the roles as principals.
- B
Create a KMS grant that allows the roles to use the key.
Why wrong: Grants are for delegated permissions, not for typical role access.
- C
Use an SCP to allow only those roles to use the key.
Why wrong: SCPs are for organizations, not for individual accounts.
- D
Use an IAM policy that grants kms:Encrypt and kms:Decrypt to the roles, and ensure the key policy enables IAM policy access.
Why wrong: This is a typical approach, but the key policy must explicitly enable IAM policy access; otherwise, IAM policies are not effective. The question asks for best way to ensure only specific roles can use the key; a key policy with role ARNs is more restrictive.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to attach a resource-based policy, specifically a KMS key policy, that designates the specific IAM roles as principals. This is because AWS KMS operates with a distinct authorization model where the key policy acts as the primary gatekeeper; even if an IAM role has a permissive IAM policy, it cannot use the key unless the key policy explicitly grants it access. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of the KMS policy evaluation hierarchy and the common trap of assuming IAM policies alone are sufficient. A frequent memory tip is "key policy first" — always remember that KMS key policies must explicitly allow the principal, and IAM policies only work if the key policy includes a statement allowing IAM policy-based access. For restricting usage to specific roles, directly listing their ARNs in the key policy is the most secure and straightforward method, avoiding the complexity of grants or relying solely on IAM.
SCS-C02 Data Protection Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of data protection. 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 using AWS KMS with a customer managed key for encrypting EBS volumes. The security team wants to ensure that only specific IAM roles can use the key for encryption and decryption. What is the best way to achieve this?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Attach a resource-based policy (key policy) to the KMS key that allows the specific IAM roles.
Option C is correct because KMS key policies can specify IAM roles (or role ARNs) as principals. Option A is incorrect because IAM policies alone are not sufficient if the key policy does not grant access; key policy must allow IAM policies. Option B is incorrect because attaching a policy to the key directly is the recommended approach. Option D is incorrect because grants are for specific operations, not for broad role-based access.
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.
- ✓
Attach a resource-based policy (key policy) to the KMS key that allows the specific IAM roles.
Why this is correct
A key policy can directly specify the roles as principals.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create a KMS grant that allows the roles to use the key.
Why it's wrong here
Grants are for delegated permissions, not for typical role access.
- ✗
Use an SCP to allow only those roles to use the key.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs are for organizations, not for individual accounts.
- ✗
Use an IAM policy that grants kms:Encrypt and kms:Decrypt to the roles, and ensure the key policy enables IAM policy access.
Why it's wrong here
This is a typical approach, but the key policy must explicitly enable IAM policy access; otherwise, IAM policies are not effective. The question asks for best way to ensure only specific roles can use the key; a key policy with role ARNs is more restrictive.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which SCS-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.
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Data Protection — study guide chapter
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Data Protection practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Data Protection — This question tests Data Protection — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Attach a resource-based policy (key policy) to the KMS key that allows the specific IAM roles. — Option C is correct because KMS key policies can specify IAM roles (or role ARNs) as principals. Option A is incorrect because IAM policies alone are not sufficient if the key policy does not grant access; key policy must allow IAM policies. Option B is incorrect because attaching a policy to the key directly is the recommended approach. Option D is incorrect because grants are for specific operations, not for broad role-based access.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SCS-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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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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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