- A
Attach an IAM policy to the IAM roles that grants kms:Encrypt and kms:Decrypt
IAM policies can grant permissions if the key policy allows it.
- B
Modify the KMS key policy to allow the specific IAM roles to use the key
Key policies are the primary control for KMS key access.
- C
Attach an IAM policy to the IAM roles that grants kms:Decrypt only
Why wrong: The key policy must also allow; this alone is insufficient.
- D
Create an S3 bucket policy to restrict access to the KMS key
Why wrong: S3 bucket policies do not control KMS key access.
- E
Use a VPC endpoint policy to restrict access to the KMS key
Why wrong: VPC endpoint policies control access through endpoints, not IAM roles.
Question 477 of 1,748
SCS-C02 Data Protection Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of data protection. 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 is using Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL with encryption at rest using AWS KMS. The security team wants to ensure that only a specific set of IAM roles can manage the KMS key used for encryption. Which TWO steps should the team take?
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
✓
Attach an IAM policy to the IAM roles that grants kms:Encrypt and kms:Decrypt
To control access to a KMS key used for RDS encryption, two steps are required. First, modify the KMS key policy to grant the specific IAM roles permission to use the key (Option B). Second, attach an IAM policy to those roles that grants the necessary KMS actions, such as kms:Encrypt and kms:Decrypt (Option A). Option C is insufficient because it only grants decryption; both encrypt and decrypt are needed for RDS to use the key. Option D is incorrect because S3 bucket policies are not relevant to KMS key permissions. Option E is incorrect because VPC endpoint policies control network access, not key usage permissions.
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.
- ✓
Attach an IAM policy to the IAM roles that grants kms:Encrypt and kms:Decrypt
Why this is correct
IAM policies can grant permissions if the key policy allows it.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Modify the KMS key policy to allow the specific IAM roles to use the key
Why this is correct
Key policies are the primary control for KMS key access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Attach an IAM policy to the IAM roles that grants kms:Decrypt only
Why it's wrong here
The key policy must also allow; this alone is insufficient.
- ✗
Create an S3 bucket policy to restrict access to the KMS key
Why it's wrong here
S3 bucket policies do not control KMS key access.
- ✗
Use a VPC endpoint policy to restrict access to the KMS key
Why it's wrong here
VPC endpoint policies control access through endpoints, not IAM roles.
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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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Data Protection — This question tests Data Protection — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Attach an IAM policy to the IAM roles that grants kms:Encrypt and kms:Decrypt — To control access to a KMS key used for RDS encryption, two steps are required. First, modify the KMS key policy to grant the specific IAM roles permission to use the key (Option B). Second, attach an IAM policy to those roles that grants the necessary KMS actions, such as kms:Encrypt and kms:Decrypt (Option A). Option C is insufficient because it only grants decryption; both encrypt and decrypt are needed for RDS to use the key. Option D is incorrect because S3 bucket policies are not relevant to KMS key permissions. Option E is incorrect because VPC endpoint policies control network access, not key usage permissions.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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