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 uses AWS KMS to encrypt data in Amazon S3. The security team wants to ensure that only users from a specific AWS account can decrypt objects. Which TWO steps should be taken to achieve this?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure the KMS key policy to allow the target AWS account to use the key for decrypt.
Options A and D are correct. A key policy that grants decrypt permission to a specific account (option A) and an IAM policy in the target account that allows the user to call KMS Decrypt (option D) are both required. Option B is wrong because an S3 bucket policy does not control KMS decryption. Option C is wrong because S3 default encryption only sets server-side encryption, not cross-account restrictions. Option E is wrong because using a different KMS key for each object is unnecessary and complex.
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.
✗
Add a bucket policy that denies decrypt for all users except those from the target account.
Why it's wrong here
Bucket policy does not control KMS decryption.
✓
Configure the KMS key policy to allow the target AWS account to use the key for decrypt.
Why this is correct
Key policy must grant decrypt to the target account.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use a different KMS key for each object to isolate permissions.
Why it's wrong here
Not required and adds complexity.
✓
Create an IAM policy in the target account that allows the kms:Decrypt action.
Why this is correct
IAM policy in the target account grants the user permission to decrypt.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable S3 default encryption with the KMS key.
Why it's wrong here
Default encryption does not restrict decryption.
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 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.
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.
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: Configure the KMS key policy to allow the target AWS account to use the key for decrypt. — Options A and D are correct. A key policy that grants decrypt permission to a specific account (option A) and an IAM policy in the target account that allows the user to call KMS Decrypt (option D) are both required. Option B is wrong because an S3 bucket policy does not control KMS decryption. Option C is wrong because S3 default encryption only sets server-side encryption, not cross-account restrictions. Option E is wrong because using a different KMS key for each object is unnecessary and complex.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
Question Discussion
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