This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of infrastructure security. 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 restrict access to an Amazon S3 bucket so that only objects uploaded with server-side encryption using AWS KMS (SSE-KMS) are allowed. Which bucket policy condition key should be used?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption-aws-kms-key-id
The correct answer is C because the s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption-aws-kms-key-id condition key allows you to require that objects be encrypted with a specific KMS key. Option A is wrong because s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption only checks if encryption is enabled, not the key. Option B is wrong because kms:EncryptionContext is used for KMS policies, not S3 bucket policies. Option D is wrong because s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption-customer-key is for SSE-C.
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.
✗
s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption-customer-key
Why it's wrong here
This condition key is used for SSE-C, not SSE-KMS.
✓
s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption-aws-kms-key-id
Why this is correct
This condition key in a bucket policy can enforce that objects are encrypted with a specific KMS key.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
kms:EncryptionContext
Why it's wrong here
This is a condition key for KMS key policies, not for S3 bucket policies.
✗
s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption
Why it's wrong here
This condition key only checks if encryption is specified, but not which KMS key is used.
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.
Infrastructure Security — This question tests Infrastructure Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption-aws-kms-key-id — The correct answer is C because the s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption-aws-kms-key-id condition key allows you to require that objects be encrypted with a specific KMS key. Option A is wrong because s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption only checks if encryption is enabled, not the key. Option B is wrong because kms:EncryptionContext is used for KMS policies, not S3 bucket policies. Option D is wrong because s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption-customer-key is for SSE-C.
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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