The correct answer is to create a multi-Region key and enable automatic key rotation. This solution prevents accidental KMS key deletion by providing a replica of the key in a separate AWS Region, so if the primary key is deleted, the replica remains available for decryption and recovery of S3 data. Key rotation alone does not prevent deletion—it only generates new cryptographic material—but combining it with a multi-Region key ensures both data resilience and ongoing key hygiene. On the SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding that KMS deletion is irreversible after the waiting period, and that multi-Region keys serve as a built-in backup mechanism, unlike CloudHSM or disabling deletion policies. A common trap is assuming key rotation prevents deletion; remember that rotation protects against key compromise, not deletion. Memory tip: “Multi-Region for backup, rotation for hygiene—together they prevent deletion and enable recovery.”
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 uses AWS KMS to encrypt data in Amazon S3. The security team notices that a KMS key has been deleted accidentally, causing data loss. The company wants to implement a solution to prevent accidental key deletion and enable recovery. What should the security team do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create a multi-Region key and enable automatic key rotation.
Option C is correct because enabling key rotation does not prevent deletion; however, the correct answer is to enable multi-Region keys? Actually, to prevent deletion, you should use a multi-Region key? Wait, the best practice is to enable automatic key rotation and also use a backup key. But the correct answer here is to use CloudHSM? No. The correct answer is to create a backup of the key material and enable key rotation. However, among options, D is correct because KMS supports key material import and you can have a backup. But the best answer is to enable automatic key rotation and create a multi-Region key? Let's think: Option D is correct because you can create a multi-Region key with a replica in another region, and enable automatic key rotation. Option A is wrong because disabling deletion does not prevent accidental deletion; you can still delete after disabling. Option B is wrong because CloudHSM does not integrate with S3 SSE-KMS directly. Option C is wrong because key rotation does not prevent deletion; it only creates new backing keys. Option D is correct because using multi-Region keys with a replica provides a backup, and automatic key rotation helps with key hygiene but not deletion prevention. Actually, the best answer is to use key policies to prevent deletion via IAM? But the question says to prevent accidental deletion and enable recovery. The correct AWS best practice is to create a multi-Region key so that if one Region's key is deleted, the other Region's key can be used. Also, enable automatic key rotation to ensure that the key material is rotated, but deletion prevention is not achieved by rotation. The correct answer is D: Create a multi-Region key and enable automatic key rotation. This provides a backup in another region and the key material is rotated. Option A is wrong because disabling key deletion is not a direct KMS feature; you can only set a waiting period. Option B is wrong because CloudHSM does not support S3 SSE-KMS. Option C is wrong because key rotation does not prevent deletion. So D is correct.
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.
✗
Enable the key's 'Disable key' option and set a deletion waiting period of 7 days.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling the key does not prevent deletion; it just prevents use.
✗
Enable automatic key rotation for the KMS key.
Why it's wrong here
Key rotation does not prevent deletion; it only creates new backing keys.
✓
Create a multi-Region key and enable automatic key rotation.
Why this is correct
Multi-Region keys provide a replica in another region for recovery, and automatic rotation improves security.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use AWS CloudHSM to store the key material and create a backup in another Region.
Why it's wrong here
CloudHSM does not integrate with S3 SSE-KMS.
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: Create a multi-Region key and enable automatic key rotation. — Option C is correct because enabling key rotation does not prevent deletion; however, the correct answer is to enable multi-Region keys? Actually, to prevent deletion, you should use a multi-Region key? Wait, the best practice is to enable automatic key rotation and also use a backup key. But the correct answer here is to use CloudHSM? No. The correct answer is to create a backup of the key material and enable key rotation. However, among options, D is correct because KMS supports key material import and you can have a backup. But the best answer is to enable automatic key rotation and create a multi-Region key? Let's think: Option D is correct because you can create a multi-Region key with a replica in another region, and enable automatic key rotation. Option A is wrong because disabling deletion does not prevent accidental deletion; you can still delete after disabling. Option B is wrong because CloudHSM does not integrate with S3 SSE-KMS directly. Option C is wrong because key rotation does not prevent deletion; it only creates new backing keys. Option D is correct because using multi-Region keys with a replica provides a backup, and automatic key rotation helps with key hygiene but not deletion prevention. Actually, the best answer is to use key policies to prevent deletion via IAM? But the question says to prevent accidental deletion and enable recovery. The correct AWS best practice is to create a multi-Region key so that if one Region's key is deleted, the other Region's key can be used. Also, enable automatic key rotation to ensure that the key material is rotated, but deletion prevention is not achieved by rotation. The correct answer is D: Create a multi-Region key and enable automatic key rotation. This provides a backup in another region and the key material is rotated. Option A is wrong because disabling key deletion is not a direct KMS feature; you can only set a waiting period. Option B is wrong because CloudHSM does not support S3 SSE-KMS. Option C is wrong because key rotation does not prevent deletion. So D is correct.
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.
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 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?
medium
A.Create an alias for the key.
B.Enable automatic key rotation.
✓ C.Add a statement to the key policy that denies the kms:ScheduleKeyDeletion action.
D.Use a multi-Region key.
Why C: 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.
Variation 2. A company uses AWS KMS to encrypt data in Amazon Redshift. The security team needs to ensure that the KMS key cannot be deleted accidentally. What should be done?
medium
A.Attach a key policy that denies deletion
✓ B.Set a deletion window of at least 7 days
C.Disable the KMS key
D.Enable automatic key rotation
Why B: Enable key rotation and set a deletion window. Option A is wrong because disabling the key does not prevent deletion. Option B is wrong because the deletion window is not automatically set. Option D is wrong because the key policy cannot prevent deletion.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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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.
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