The correct answer is to add a bucket policy on the destination bucket that grants the S3 log delivery service permission to use the KMS key. This is necessary because when you configure SSE-KMS encryption for S3 access logs, the S3 log delivery service must have explicit kms:GenerateDataKey and kms:Decrypt permissions on the customer managed key to write encrypted log objects to the destination bucket. Without this bucket policy statement, the log delivery fails silently, leaving logs unencrypted or missing. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of the cross-account permission model for S3 server access logs, where the source bucket and destination bucket may be in different accounts, and the log delivery service acts as a third-party principal. A common trap is confusing the source bucket’s default encryption settings with the destination bucket’s required permissions—remember, the encryption key permission goes on the destination, not the source. Memory tip: “Logs land in the destination, so the key permission goes to the destination.”
SCS-C02 Data Protection Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of data protection. 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 uses S3 Server Access Logs to audit access to their S3 buckets. The security team wants to ensure that the log files themselves are encrypted at rest using SSE-KMS. Which configuration step is necessary?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add a bucket policy on the destination bucket that grants the S3 log delivery service permission to use the KMS key
To encrypt S3 access logs with SSE-KMS, the bucket policy of the destination bucket must allow the S3 log delivery service to use the KMS key. Option A is correct. Option B is about the source bucket, C is unnecessary, D is about server-side encryption for the source bucket.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Use an S3 bucket policy to deny unencrypted uploads to the source bucket
Why it's wrong here
Unrelated to log encryption.
✗
Enable default encryption on the source bucket
Why it's wrong here
Logs go to destination bucket.
✓
Add a bucket policy on the destination bucket that grants the S3 log delivery service permission to use the KMS key
Why this is correct
Required for SSE-KMS on log delivery.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Configure the destination bucket with a lifecycle policy
Why it's wrong here
Lifecycle does not affect encryption.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SCS-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Data Protection — This question tests Data Protection — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add a bucket policy on the destination bucket that grants the S3 log delivery service permission to use the KMS key — To encrypt S3 access logs with SSE-KMS, the bucket policy of the destination bucket must allow the S3 log delivery service to use the KMS key. Option A is correct. Option B is about the source bucket, C is unnecessary, D is about server-side encryption for the source bucket.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SCS-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Question Discussion
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