The correct answer is to create a read replica with encryption enabled, promote it to a standalone instance, and update the application connection string. This works because Amazon RDS does not allow you to enable encryption at rest on an existing, running instance; encryption must be set at creation time. By creating an encrypted read replica from the source, you effectively build a new encrypted copy of the database, and promoting it makes it a fully independent, encrypted instance that you can point your application to with minimal downtime. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of the immutable nature of RDS encryption and the practical migration path required. A common trap is assuming you can modify the existing instance or simply encrypt a snapshot—both are incorrect because the underlying storage cannot be retroactively encrypted. Remember the key rule: encryption at rest on RDS is a one-way door set at launch, so the only path forward is to create new, encrypted resources and migrate. Memory tip: “Encrypt at birth, not after birth.”
SCS-C02 Data Protection Practice Question
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.
A company uses Amazon RDS for MySQL to store customer data. The security team wants to ensure that the database is encrypted at rest. The database is already running and contains production data. The team needs to enable encryption at rest with minimal downtime. What should they do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create a read replica with encryption enabled, promote it to a standalone instance, and update the application connection string
Option A is correct because you cannot enable encryption on an existing RDS instance; you must create a new encrypted instance and migrate. Option B is wrong because you cannot modify the existing instance to add encryption. Option C is wrong because snapshots can be encrypted, but you still need to restore to a new instance. Option D is wrong because you cannot attach encrypted storage.
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.
✓
Create a read replica with encryption enabled, promote it to a standalone instance, and update the application connection string
Why this is correct
Creating an encrypted read replica allows migration with minimal downtime.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Attach an encrypted EBS volume to the RDS instance
Why it's wrong here
RDS does not allow attaching EBS volumes.
✗
Take a snapshot of the database, copy the snapshot with encryption enabled, and restore the encrypted snapshot to a new instance
Why it's wrong here
This causes more downtime than using a read replica.
✗
Modify the existing DB instance and enable encryption using the AWS CLI
Why it's wrong here
RDS does not support enabling encryption on an existing instance.
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.
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: Create a read replica with encryption enabled, promote it to a standalone instance, and update the application connection string — Option A is correct because you cannot enable encryption on an existing RDS instance; you must create a new encrypted instance and migrate. Option B is wrong because you cannot modify the existing instance to add encryption. Option C is wrong because snapshots can be encrypted, but you still need to restore to a new instance. Option D is wrong because you cannot attach encrypted storage.
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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