- A
Enable CloudTrail log file validation
Why wrong: Provides integrity, not encryption or access control.
- B
Enable default encryption on the S3 bucket where CloudTrail logs are stored
Encrypts logs at rest using SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS.
- C
Attach an S3 bucket policy that restricts access to the CloudTrail logs to authorized principals
Controls access to the logs.
- D
Use AWS KMS to encrypt the CloudTrail log files
Why wrong: CloudTrail does not support KMS encryption directly; S3 SSE is used.
- E
Store logs in Amazon CloudWatch Logs with encryption enabled
Why wrong: While possible, the question asks for actions to encrypt at rest and control access; S3 is the primary storage.
Question 745 of 1,748
SCS-C02 Infrastructure Security Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of infrastructure security. 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 AWS CloudTrail to log API calls. The security team wants to ensure that the logs are encrypted at rest and that access to the logs is controlled. Which actions should be taken? (Choose two.)
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
✓
Enable default encryption on the S3 bucket where CloudTrail logs are stored
Option B is correct because enabling default encryption on the S3 bucket ensures that all CloudTrail log files are encrypted at rest using server-side encryption (SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS), meeting the requirement for encryption at rest. Option C is correct because attaching an S3 bucket policy that restricts access to authorized principals provides fine-grained access control, ensuring only permitted users or roles can read or manage the logs, which satisfies the access control requirement.
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.
- ✗
Enable CloudTrail log file validation
Why it's wrong here
Provides integrity, not encryption or access control.
- ✓
Enable default encryption on the S3 bucket where CloudTrail logs are stored
Why this is correct
Encrypts logs at rest using SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Attach an S3 bucket policy that restricts access to the CloudTrail logs to authorized principals
Why this is correct
Controls access to the logs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use AWS KMS to encrypt the CloudTrail log files
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail does not support KMS encryption directly; S3 SSE is used.
- ✗
Store logs in Amazon CloudWatch Logs with encryption enabled
Why it's wrong here
While possible, the question asks for actions to encrypt at rest and control access; S3 is the primary storage.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse log file validation (integrity) with encryption, or think that using KMS is mandatory for encryption at rest when default SSE-S3 is sufficient and explicitly listed as a correct option.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudTrail delivers logs to an S3 bucket, and enabling default encryption on that bucket applies server-side encryption (SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS) automatically to all objects, including existing and future logs, without requiring per-object configuration. The S3 bucket policy uses AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) conditions like `aws:SourceArn` or `PrincipalArn` to restrict access, which is more granular than bucket ACLs and can enforce least-privilege access even if IAM policies are misconfigured. In a real-world scenario, combining default encryption with a restrictive bucket policy ensures compliance with frameworks like PCI DSS or HIPAA, which mandate both encryption at rest and access control.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Infrastructure Security — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Infrastructure Security practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All SCS-C02 questions
1,748 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
SCS-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related SCS-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Threat Detection and Incident Response practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Threat Detection and Incident Response.
Security Logging and Monitoring practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Security Logging and Monitoring.
Identity and Access Management practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Identity and Access Management.
Management and Security Governance practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Management and Security Governance.
Infrastructure Security practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Infrastructure Security.
Data Protection practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Data Protection.
SCS-C02 fundamentals practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to SCS-C02 fundamentals.
SCS-C02 scenario practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to SCS-C02 scenario.
SCS-C02 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to SCS-C02 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free SCS-C02 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Infrastructure Security — This question tests Infrastructure Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable default encryption on the S3 bucket where CloudTrail logs are stored — Option B is correct because enabling default encryption on the S3 bucket ensures that all CloudTrail log files are encrypted at rest using server-side encryption (SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS), meeting the requirement for encryption at rest. Option C is correct because attaching an S3 bucket policy that restricts access to authorized principals provides fine-grained access control, ensuring only permitted users or roles can read or manage the logs, which satisfies the access control requirement.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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 →
Keep practising
More SCS-C02 practice questions
- A company uses AWS Organizations with multiple accounts. The security team wants to enforce that all Amazon S3 buckets a…
- A company is designing a multi-tier web application on AWS. The web tier must be accessible from the internet, but the a…
- A company is migrating a legacy application to AWS. The application requires two-way communication between the web serve…
- A security engineer is troubleshooting connectivity issues between an Amazon EC2 instance in a VPC and an on-premises se…
- A security engineer is reviewing the SQS queue policy shown in the exhibit. The queue is subscribed to an SNS topic in t…
- A company uses AWS Organizations with multiple accounts. The security team wants to ensure that all IAM users in the pro…
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.