The answer is SSE-S3 and SSE-KMS with automatic key rotation. Amazon S3 Glacier automatically encrypts all objects at rest using SSE-S3, where AWS manages the keys and rotates them annually without any customer action. Similarly, SSE-KMS with automatic key rotation enabled meets the same requirement, as KMS can rotate the customer master key each year. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of server-side encryption options and their key management differences—specifically which services handle annual rotation natively. A common trap is assuming SSE-C or CloudHSM are valid, but SSE-C requires manual key rotation and CloudHSM lacks automatic rotation. Client-side encryption also fails because it bypasses S3’s server-side controls. Memory tip: think “AWS handles the annual spin” for SSE-S3 and SSE-KMS with auto-rotation enabled.
SCS-C02 Data Protection Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of data protection. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 wants to protect data stored in Amazon S3 Glacier. The data must be encrypted at rest and the encryption keys must be rotated annually. Which TWO options meet these requirements?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use SSE-KMS with a customer-managed key that has automatic key rotation enabled.
Option A is correct because Glacier automatically encrypts data at rest using SSE-S3 with keys rotated annually by AWS. Option C is correct because SSE-KMS with automatic key rotation also meets the requirement. Option B is wrong because SSE-C does not provide automatic rotation. Option D is wrong because CloudHSM requires manual rotation. Option E is wrong because client-side encryption does not use S3's server-side encryption.
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.
✓
Use SSE-KMS with a customer-managed key that has automatic key rotation enabled.
Why this is correct
KMS CMK with automatic rotation meets the requirement.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use AWS CloudHSM to generate a key and encrypt data before uploading to Glacier.
Why it's wrong here
Client-side encryption; CloudHSM does not provide automatic rotation.
✗
Use client-side encryption with the Amazon S3 encryption client.
Why it's wrong here
Client-side encryption does not use S3's server-side encryption.
✗
Use SSE-C with keys stored in AWS Secrets Manager and rotate keys annually.
Why it's wrong here
SSE-C requires manual rotation; Secrets Manager can help but not automatic.
✓
Use the default encryption provided by S3 Glacier (SSE-S3).
Why this is correct
SSE-S3 uses Amazon-managed keys with annual rotation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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: Use SSE-KMS with a customer-managed key that has automatic key rotation enabled. — Option A is correct because Glacier automatically encrypts data at rest using SSE-S3 with keys rotated annually by AWS. Option C is correct because SSE-KMS with automatic key rotation also meets the requirement. Option B is wrong because SSE-C does not provide automatic rotation. Option D is wrong because CloudHSM requires manual rotation. Option E is wrong because client-side encryption does not use S3's server-side encryption.
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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