Quick Answer
The answer is AWS Config, which is the correct choice because it continuously evaluates S3 bucket compliance using the managed rule `s3-bucket-server-side-encryption-enabled` and can automatically remediate non-compliant buckets by triggering a remediation action, such as enabling default encryption. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how AWS Config’s auto-remediation feature enforces encryption policies without manual intervention, a common trap being to confuse it with CloudTrail (which only logs) or S3 itself (which lacks built-in auto-remediation). A key memory tip: think “Config enforces, CloudTrail reports” — Config is the enforcer, not just the auditor.
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 wants to ensure that all S3 buckets in their AWS account have encryption enabled. Which AWS service can continuously evaluate compliance and automatically remediate non-compliant buckets?
AWS CloudTrail
Why wrong: CloudTrail logs API calls but does not enforce compliance.
AWS Config
AWS Config evaluates resources against rules and can auto-remediate.
AWS IAM
Why wrong: IAM controls permissions, not bucket encryption.
Amazon S3
Why wrong: S3 does not automatically enforce encryption on existing buckets.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS Config
Option D is correct: AWS Config with a managed rule 's3-bucket-server-side-encryption-enabled' can evaluate compliance and trigger an auto-remediation action to enable encryption. Option A is wrong because CloudTrail only logs. Option B is wrong because IAM does not manage bucket encryption. Option C is wrong because S3 itself does not auto-remediate.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
AWS CloudTrail
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail logs API calls but does not enforce compliance.
AWS Config
Why this is correct
AWS Config evaluates resources against rules and can auto-remediate.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS IAM
Why it's wrong here
IAM controls permissions, not bucket encryption.
Amazon S3
Why it's wrong here
S3 does not automatically enforce encryption on existing buckets.
Common exam traps
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
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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.
Management and Security Governance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Management and Security Governance — This question tests Management and Security Governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: AWS Config — Option D is correct: AWS Config with a managed rule 's3-bucket-server-side-encryption-enabled' can evaluate compliance and trigger an auto-remediation action to enable encryption. Option A is wrong because CloudTrail only logs. Option B is wrong because IAM does not manage bucket encryption. Option C is wrong because S3 itself does not auto-remediate.
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.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
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 security engineer is designing a solution to enforce that all S3 buckets in an AWS account have server-side encryption enabled. The engineer needs to automatically remediate any non-compliant buckets. Which AWS service should be used to implement this requirement?
mediumWhy B: AWS Config can evaluate resource configurations against rules and automatically remediate non-compliant resources using AWS Systems Manager Automation documents. Option A is wrong because AWS CloudTrail records API activity but does not enforce configuration. Option B is wrong because AWS Lambda can be used but is not the primary service for governance at scale. Option D is wrong because IAM policies can prevent creating buckets without encryption but do not remediate existing ones.
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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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