This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of data protection. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 uses AWS KMS to encrypt data in Amazon RDS. The security team needs to ensure that the KMS key cannot be deleted accidentally. Which action should be taken?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add a statement to the key policy that denies the kms:ScheduleKeyDeletion action.
KMS key deletion can be prevented by enabling key rotation (does not prevent deletion), using an alias (does not prevent deletion), or enabling deletion protection via a key policy (not directly; deletion requires a waiting period). The correct approach is to set a deletion window and ensure the key is not scheduled for deletion, but the question asks for accidental deletion prevention. Enabling automatic key rotation does not prevent deletion. The best answer is to use a multi-Region key? No. Actually, to prevent accidental deletion, you can use a KMS key policy that denies the ScheduleKeyDeletion action. Option D is correct: the key policy should include a Deny statement for kms:ScheduleKeyDeletion.
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.
✗
Create an alias for the key.
Why it's wrong here
Aliases are just pointers and do not prevent deletion.
✗
Enable automatic key rotation.
Why it's wrong here
Key rotation does not prevent deletion; it only rotates the backing key.
✓
Add a statement to the key policy that denies the kms:ScheduleKeyDeletion action.
Why this is correct
A key policy can explicitly deny the ability to schedule deletion, preventing accidental deletion.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
Use a multi-Region key.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-Region keys do not prevent deletion.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. 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. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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.
Data Protection — This question tests Data Protection — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add a statement to the key policy that denies the kms:ScheduleKeyDeletion action. — KMS key deletion can be prevented by enabling key rotation (does not prevent deletion), using an alias (does not prevent deletion), or enabling deletion protection via a key policy (not directly; deletion requires a waiting period). The correct approach is to set a deletion window and ensure the key is not scheduled for deletion, but the question asks for accidental deletion prevention. Enabling automatic key rotation does not prevent deletion. The best answer is to use a multi-Region key? No. Actually, to prevent accidental deletion, you can use a KMS key policy that denies the ScheduleKeyDeletion action. Option D is correct: the key policy should include a Deny statement for kms:ScheduleKeyDeletion.
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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Question Discussion
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