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 security engineer is designing a logging solution for a multi-account environment using AWS Organizations. The solution must meet the following requirements:
- Logs from all accounts must be centrally stored and immutable.
- Only the security team should be able to delete logs.
- Logs must be encrypted at rest.
Which TWO steps should the engineer take to meet these requirements? (Choose TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable S3 Object Lock and configure a bucket policy to deny s3:DeleteObject unless the principal is the security team.
Options B and D are correct. Option B: An organizational CloudTrail trail logs all accounts centrally. Option D: S3 object lock prevents deletion/modification, and a bucket policy with a condition denying deletion except by the security team ensures immutability and access control. Option A is wrong because cross-account roles don't centralize logging. Option C is wrong because S3 default encryption does not prevent deletion. Option E is wrong because CloudWatch Logs does not inherently prevent log deletion.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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 S3 default encryption on the log bucket.
Why it's wrong here
Encrypts but does not prevent deletion.
✓
Enable S3 Object Lock and configure a bucket policy to deny s3:DeleteObject unless the principal is the security team.
Why this is correct
Prevents deletion and restricts to security team.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
Stream logs to CloudWatch Logs and set a retention policy of 10 years.
Why it's wrong here
Doesn't prevent deletion by account admins.
✗
Create an IAM role in each account that allows the security team to access logs.
Why it's wrong here
Doesn't centralize logging or prevent deletion.
✓
Enable CloudTrail organizational trail in the management account.
Why this is correct
Centrally logs all accounts.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
The first matching ACL entry is used.
There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
→Check inbound versus outbound direction.
→Read the ACL from top to bottom.
→Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SCS-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Management and Security Governance — This question tests Management and Security Governance — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable S3 Object Lock and configure a bucket policy to deny s3:DeleteObject unless the principal is the security team. — Options B and D are correct. Option B: An organizational CloudTrail trail logs all accounts centrally. Option D: S3 object lock prevents deletion/modification, and a bucket policy with a condition denying deletion except by the security team ensures immutability and access control. Option A is wrong because cross-account roles don't centralize logging. Option C is wrong because S3 default encryption does not prevent deletion. Option E is wrong because CloudWatch Logs does not inherently prevent log deletion.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SCS-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Question Discussion
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