The correct answer is to associate the customer-managed KMS key (CMK) directly with the CloudWatch Logs log group by specifying the key ARN in the log group’s encryption configuration. This works because CloudWatch Logs integrates with KMS at the log-group level, not at the S3 bucket or via bucket policies—the service encrypts the log data at rest using the CMK you attach to the group. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of where encryption is applied for different AWS services; a common trap is confusing CloudWatch Logs encryption with S3 server-side encryption or assuming a KMS key policy alone is sufficient. Remember that the key policy grants permissions, but the log group must be explicitly associated with the key ARN. A useful memory tip: “Log group, key ARN—attach, don’t just permit.”
SCS-C02 Security Logging and Monitoring Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security logging and monitoring. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 CloudWatch Logs to store application logs. The security team needs to ensure that logs are encrypted at rest using a customer-managed KMS key (CMK). What configuration is required?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Associate the CMK with the CloudWatch Logs log group by specifying the key ARN in the log group's encryption configuration.
Option B is correct because CloudWatch Logs uses the KMS key specified in the log group's encryption setting. Option A is wrong because CloudWatch Logs does not support KMS key via bucket policy. Option C is wrong because S3 encryption policies are for S3 buckets, not CloudWatch Logs. Option D is wrong because KMS key policies grant permissions, but the log group must be associated with the key.
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.
✗
Add a KMS key policy that allows CloudWatch Logs to use the key.
Why it's wrong here
The key policy is necessary but not sufficient; the log group must be configured to use the key.
✓
Associate the CMK with the CloudWatch Logs log group by specifying the key ARN in the log group's encryption configuration.
Why this is correct
You can encrypt a log group with a CMK using the console, CLI, or API.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable default encryption on the S3 bucket used for log export with a CMK.
Why it's wrong here
This only encrypts exported logs, not the logs stored in CloudWatch.
✗
Configure the S3 bucket policy to require SSE-KMS for log delivery.
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Logs stores logs in its own storage, not S3. S3 is used for exporting logs, not for storage.
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.
Security Logging and Monitoring — This question tests Security Logging and Monitoring — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Associate the CMK with the CloudWatch Logs log group by specifying the key ARN in the log group's encryption configuration. — Option B is correct because CloudWatch Logs uses the KMS key specified in the log group's encryption setting. Option A is wrong because CloudWatch Logs does not support KMS key via bucket policy. Option C is wrong because S3 encryption policies are for S3 buckets, not CloudWatch Logs. Option D is wrong because KMS key policies grant permissions, but the log group must be associated with the key.
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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