- A
Enable AWS CloudTrail to log key deletion events.
CloudTrail provides audit logs to detect deletion attempts.
- B
Set up Amazon CloudWatch alarms to notify on kms:ScheduleKeyDeletion events.
Alarms can alert administrators of deletion actions.
- C
Create an IAM policy that denies kms:ScheduleKeyDeletion.
Why wrong: This prevents deletion but does not enforce a retention period; it's a binary allow/deny.
- D
Enable automatic key rotation.
Why wrong: Rotation does not prevent deletion.
- E
Schedule key deletion with a waiting period (e.g., 7 days).
Scheduling deletion enforces a waiting period before deletion occurs.
Question 1,125 of 1,748
SCS-C02 AWS KMS Key Deletion 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. A key principle to apply: aWS KMS Key Deletion. 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 KMS to encrypt data at rest. The security team needs to ensure that keys cannot be deleted before a retention period. Which THREE steps should be taken? (Choose three.)
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 AWS CloudTrail to log key deletion events.
Options A, B, and E are correct. Enabling CloudTrail to log key deletion events helps audit attempts. Setting CloudWatch alarms on kms:ScheduleKeyDeletion events provides notification. Scheduling key deletion with a waiting period (e.g., 7 days) implements a retention period. Option C is incorrect because IAM policies can prevent deletion but do not enforce a retention period; the question asks to ensure keys cannot be deleted before a retention period, which requires a waiting period, not just denial. Option D is incorrect because automatic rotation does not prevent deletion.
Key principle: AWS KMS Key Deletion
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 AWS CloudTrail to log key deletion events.
Why this is correct
CloudTrail provides audit logs to detect deletion attempts.
Related concept
AWS KMS Key Deletion
- ✓
Set up Amazon CloudWatch alarms to notify on kms:ScheduleKeyDeletion events.
Why this is correct
Alarms can alert administrators of deletion actions.
Related concept
AWS KMS Key Deletion
- ✗
Create an IAM policy that denies kms:ScheduleKeyDeletion.
Why it's wrong here
This prevents deletion but does not enforce a retention period; it's a binary allow/deny.
- ✗
Enable automatic key rotation.
Why it's wrong here
Rotation does not prevent deletion.
- ✓
Schedule key deletion with a waiting period (e.g., 7 days).
Why this is correct
Scheduling deletion enforces a waiting period before deletion occurs.
Related concept
AWS KMS Key Deletion
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
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- AWS KMS Key Deletion
- AWS CloudTrail
- Amazon CloudWatch Alarms
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
AWS KMS Key Deletion
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review aWS KMS Key Deletion, then practise related SCS-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
- →
Data Protection — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Data Protection 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?
Data Protection — This question tests Data Protection — AWS KMS Key Deletion.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable AWS CloudTrail to log key deletion events. — Options A, B, and E are correct. Enabling CloudTrail to log key deletion events helps audit attempts. Setting CloudWatch alarms on kms:ScheduleKeyDeletion events provides notification. Scheduling key deletion with a waiting period (e.g., 7 days) implements a retention period. Option C is incorrect because IAM policies can prevent deletion but do not enforce a retention period; the question asks to ensure keys cannot be deleted before a retention period, which requires a waiting period, not just denial. Option D is incorrect because automatic rotation does not prevent deletion.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Review aWS KMS Key Deletion, then practise related SCS-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
AWS KMS Key Deletion
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: Jun 20, 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.