- A
Enable the key's 'Disable key' option and set a deletion waiting period of 7 days.
Why wrong: Disabling the key does not prevent deletion; it just prevents use.
- B
Enable automatic key rotation for the KMS key.
Why wrong: Key rotation does not prevent deletion; it only creates new backing keys.
- C
Create a multi-Region key and enable automatic key rotation.
Multi-Region keys provide a replica in another region for recovery, and automatic rotation improves security.
- D
Use AWS CloudHSM to store the key material and create a backup in another Region.
Why wrong: CloudHSM does not integrate with S3 SSE-KMS.
Question 627 of 1,748
SCS-C02 Multi-Region key Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of data protection. 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. A key principle to apply: multi-Region key. 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 AWS KMS to encrypt data in Amazon S3. The security team notices that a KMS key has been deleted accidentally, causing data loss. The company wants to implement a solution to prevent accidental key deletion and enable recovery. What should the security team do?
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
✓
Create a multi-Region key and enable automatic key rotation.
Option C is correct because creating a multi-Region key replicates the key material to another AWS Region, providing a backup that can be used if the primary key is accidentally deleted. Enabling automatic key rotation further enhances security by regularly rotating the backing keys, but it does not prevent deletion. However, the multi-Region key approach allows recovery from accidental deletion by using the replica in another Region. Option A is incorrect because disabling the key only prevents its use, not its deletion; the deletion waiting period allows recovery only if the deletion is canceled within the waiting period. Option B is incorrect because automatic key rotation does not prevent deletion; it only creates new cryptographic material. Option D is incorrect because AWS CloudHSM does not directly integrate with S3 server-side encryption using KMS (SSE-KMS) for automatic encryption; it requires custom applications.
Key principle: Multi-Region key
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 the key's 'Disable key' option and set a deletion waiting period of 7 days.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling the key does not prevent deletion; it just prevents use.
- ✗
Enable automatic key rotation for the KMS key.
Why it's wrong here
Key rotation does not prevent deletion; it only creates new backing keys.
- ✓
Create a multi-Region key and enable automatic key rotation.
Why this is correct
Multi-Region keys provide a replica in another region for recovery, and automatic rotation improves security.
Related concept
Multi-Region key
- ✗
Use AWS CloudHSM to store the key material and create a backup in another Region.
Why it's wrong here
CloudHSM does not integrate with S3 SSE-KMS.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Candidates may think that enabling automatic key rotation prevents deletion, but it only rotates the key material. The actual prevention of deletion and recovery is achieved through multi-Region keys, which provide a replica in another Region.
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
- Multi-Region key
- Automatic key rotation
- KMS key deletion
- Disaster recovery for KMS
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
Multi-Region key
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.
Review multi-Region key, then practise related SCS-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Data Protection — This question tests Data Protection — Multi-Region key.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a multi-Region key and enable automatic key rotation. — Option C is correct because creating a multi-Region key replicates the key material to another AWS Region, providing a backup that can be used if the primary key is accidentally deleted. Enabling automatic key rotation further enhances security by regularly rotating the backing keys, but it does not prevent deletion. However, the multi-Region key approach allows recovery from accidental deletion by using the replica in another Region. Option A is incorrect because disabling the key only prevents its use, not its deletion; the deletion waiting period allows recovery only if the deletion is canceled within the waiting period. Option B is incorrect because automatic key rotation does not prevent deletion; it only creates new cryptographic material. Option D is incorrect because AWS CloudHSM does not directly integrate with S3 server-side encryption using KMS (SSE-KMS) for automatic encryption; it requires custom applications.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Review multi-Region key, then practise related SCS-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Multi-Region key
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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