- A
Configure CloudTrail to deliver logs to Amazon S3 Glacier.
Why wrong: CloudTrail delivers to S3, not directly to Glacier.
- B
Set an S3 lifecycle policy to transition logs to Glacier after 7 years.
Retains logs for 7 years.
- C
Enable S3 Cross-Region Replication to a bucket in another region.
Why wrong: For disaster recovery, not retention.
- D
Enable S3 default encryption on the log bucket.
Encrypts logs at rest.
- E
Enable CloudTrail in the account.
Logs all API calls.
Question 468 of 1,748
SCS-C02 Management and Security Governance Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of management and security governance. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 needs to ensure that all API calls in an AWS account are logged and that the logs are encrypted at rest and retained for at least 7 years. Which THREE steps should the engineer take? (Choose THREE.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"least"Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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
✓
Set an S3 lifecycle policy to transition logs to Glacier after 7 years.
To ensure all API calls are logged, encrypted at rest, and retained for at least 7 years, the correct steps are: E. Enable CloudTrail in the account to capture API calls; D. Enable S3 default encryption on the log bucket to encrypt logs at rest; and B. Set an S3 lifecycle policy to transition logs to Glacier after 7 years for long-term retention. Option A is incorrect because CloudTrail cannot deliver logs directly to Glacier; it delivers to an S3 bucket first. Option C is incorrect because Cross-Region Replication helps with geographic redundancy but does not address retention or encryption.
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.
- ✗
Configure CloudTrail to deliver logs to Amazon S3 Glacier.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail delivers to S3, not directly to Glacier.
- ✓
Set an S3 lifecycle policy to transition logs to Glacier after 7 years.
Why this is correct
Retains logs for 7 years.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable S3 Cross-Region Replication to a bucket in another region.
Why it's wrong here
For disaster recovery, not retention.
- ✓
Enable S3 default encryption on the log bucket.
Why this is correct
Encrypts logs at rest.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Enable CloudTrail in the account.
Why this is correct
Logs all API calls.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
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.
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Management and Security Governance — study guide chapter
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Management and Security Governance practice questions
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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: Set an S3 lifecycle policy to transition logs to Glacier after 7 years. — To ensure all API calls are logged, encrypted at rest, and retained for at least 7 years, the correct steps are: E. Enable CloudTrail in the account to capture API calls; D. Enable S3 default encryption on the log bucket to encrypt logs at rest; and B. Set an S3 lifecycle policy to transition logs to Glacier after 7 years for long-term retention. Option A is incorrect because CloudTrail cannot deliver logs directly to Glacier; it delivers to an S3 bucket first. Option C is incorrect because Cross-Region Replication helps with geographic redundancy but does not address retention or encryption.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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 →
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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