- A
Apply a service control policy (SCP) that denies the s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock and s3:PutBucketEncryption actions unless the bucket has encryption enabled.
SCPs can prevent creation of buckets that do not meet encryption requirements, providing preventive control.
- B
Use an S3 bucket policy that denies PutObject unless the request includes the x-amz-server-side-encryption header.
Why wrong: This denies object uploads without encryption but does not enforce encryption at the bucket level during creation.
- C
Enable AWS Config with the s3-bucket-server-side-encryption-enabled rule and set up automatic remediation using Systems Manager Automation.
Why wrong: AWS Config detects but does not automatically remediate without additional setup; this is not the simplest preventive solution.
- D
Create an IAM role with permissions to enforce encryption and attach it to all accounts in the organization.
Why wrong: IAM roles do not enforce encryption on bucket creation; they grant permissions but do not set bucket properties.
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 uses AWS Organizations with multiple accounts and wants to ensure that all newly created S3 buckets have encryption enabled. The Security team needs a solution that automatically remediates non-compliant buckets without manual intervention. What should they do?
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
Apply a service control policy (SCP) that denies the s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock and s3:PutBucketEncryption actions unless the bucket has encryption enabled.
Option A is correct because a service control policy (SCP) that denies the s3:PutBucketEncryption action unless the bucket already has encryption enabled effectively prevents creation of unencrypted buckets. SCPs operate at the AWS Organizations level and apply to all accounts, ensuring that any attempt to create or modify a bucket without encryption is denied, providing automated, organization-wide governance without manual intervention.
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.
- ✓
Apply a service control policy (SCP) that denies the s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock and s3:PutBucketEncryption actions unless the bucket has encryption enabled.
Why this is correct
SCPs can prevent creation of buckets that do not meet encryption requirements, providing preventive control.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use an S3 bucket policy that denies PutObject unless the request includes the x-amz-server-side-encryption header.
Why it's wrong here
This denies object uploads without encryption but does not enforce encryption at the bucket level during creation.
- ✗
Enable AWS Config with the s3-bucket-server-side-encryption-enabled rule and set up automatic remediation using Systems Manager Automation.
Why it's wrong here
AWS Config detects but does not automatically remediate without additional setup; this is not the simplest preventive solution.
- ✗
Create an IAM role with permissions to enforce encryption and attach it to all accounts in the organization.
Why it's wrong here
IAM roles do not enforce encryption on bucket creation; they grant permissions but do not set bucket properties.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse reactive detection and remediation (like AWS Config with automation) with proactive prevention (like SCPs), and fail to realize that SCPs can enforce conditions on bucket creation itself, not just on object uploads.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Service control policies (SCPs) are evaluated before any IAM or resource-based policies, meaning they can block actions at the AWS Organizations level even if an IAM policy allows them. The SCP in option A uses a condition key (e.g., s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption or a bucket-level encryption condition) to deny the s3:PutBucketEncryption action unless encryption is already enabled, effectively requiring encryption at bucket creation time. This approach ensures that no unencrypted S3 bucket can be created across the entire organization, which is critical for compliance frameworks like PCI DSS or HIPAA that mandate encryption at rest.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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 — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Apply a service control policy (SCP) that denies the s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock and s3:PutBucketEncryption actions unless the bucket has encryption enabled. — Option A is correct because a service control policy (SCP) that denies the s3:PutBucketEncryption action unless the bucket already has encryption enabled effectively prevents creation of unencrypted buckets. SCPs operate at the AWS Organizations level and apply to all accounts, ensuring that any attempt to create or modify a bucket without encryption is denied, providing automated, organization-wide governance without manual intervention.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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