This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of data protection. 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.
Network Topology
A security engineer examines the above output. The company requires automatic yearly key rotation. What should the engineer do?
Network Topology
A
Run 'aws kms enable-key-rotation --key-id 1234abcd-12ab-34cd-56ef-1234567890ab'
This enables automatic yearly rotation for a customer managed key.
B
Use AWS CloudHSM to generate a new key and rotate manually.
Why wrong: CloudHSM requires manual rotation.
C
Replace the key with an AWS managed key.
Why wrong: AWS managed keys rotate automatically, but the engineer may not want to replace the key.
D
Import a key material and enable automatic rotation.
Why wrong: Imported key material does not support automatic rotation.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Run 'aws kms enable-key-rotation --key-id 1234abcd-12ab-34cd-56ef-1234567890ab'
Option A is correct because the key is a customer managed CMK (KeyRotationEnabled: false indicates it's not an AWS managed key, as AWS managed keys have rotation enabled automatically and cannot be disabled). Enabling automatic rotation on a customer managed CMK is done via the 'aws kms enable-key-rotation' CLI command. Option B is incorrect because AWS CloudHSM is not required for key rotation; automatic rotation can be enabled directly on the CMK without manual intervention. Option C is incorrect because replacing the key with an AWS managed key would remove control over rotation and is not a necessary action; the current key can have rotation enabled. Option D is incorrect because if key material is imported, automatic rotation is not supported; the key must be rotated manually.
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.
✓
Run 'aws kms enable-key-rotation --key-id 1234abcd-12ab-34cd-56ef-1234567890ab'
Why this is correct
This enables automatic yearly rotation for a customer managed key.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use AWS CloudHSM to generate a new key and rotate manually.
Why it's wrong here
CloudHSM requires manual rotation.
✗
Replace the key with an AWS managed key.
Why it's wrong here
AWS managed keys rotate automatically, but the engineer may not want to replace the key.
✗
Import a key material and enable automatic rotation.
Why it's wrong here
Imported key material does not support automatic rotation.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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.
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: Run 'aws kms enable-key-rotation --key-id 1234abcd-12ab-34cd-56ef-1234567890ab' — Option A is correct because the key is a customer managed CMK (KeyRotationEnabled: false indicates it's not an AWS managed key, as AWS managed keys have rotation enabled automatically and cannot be disabled). Enabling automatic rotation on a customer managed CMK is done via the 'aws kms enable-key-rotation' CLI command. Option B is incorrect because AWS CloudHSM is not required for key rotation; automatic rotation can be enabled directly on the CMK without manual intervention. Option C is incorrect because replacing the key with an AWS managed key would remove control over rotation and is not a necessary action; the current key can have rotation enabled. Option D is incorrect because if key material is imported, automatic rotation is not supported; the key must be rotated manually.
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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