The answer is no, the decryption will fail because the encryption context does not match the condition in the IAM policy. The KMS encryption context condition enforces that the encryption context used during decryption must exactly match the context specified in the policy—here, department=finance. Since the S3 object was encrypted with department=hr, the condition is not satisfied, and AWS KMS denies the kms:Decrypt operation regardless of the user’s permissions on the key. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that encryption context is an authenticated, case-sensitive key-value pair that acts as an additional authorization layer, and it is a common trap to assume decryption works if the user has key-level permissions. Remember the memory tip: “Context must match—no partial, no mismatch, or you’ll get a cryptographically enforced denial.”
SCS-C02 Data Protection 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. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. An IAM policy allows kms:Decrypt on a specific KMS key only when the encryption context includes department=finance. A user attempts to decrypt an S3 object that was encrypted with the same KMS key but with encryption context department=hr. Will the decryption succeed?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
No, because the encryption context does not match.
Option B is correct. The condition requires the encryption context to be department=finance, but the object was encrypted with department=hr, so the decryption fails. Option A is wrong because the condition is not satisfied. Option C is wrong because the user does not have kms:DescribeKey permission. Option D is wrong because the condition is not about the key policy.
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.
✓
No, because the encryption context does not match.
Why this is correct
The condition requires encryption context department=finance; department=hr does not satisfy it.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
No, because the key policy does not allow the user to decrypt.
Why it's wrong here
The key policy is not shown; the IAM policy is sufficient if conditions are met.
✗
Yes, because the user has kms:Decrypt permission on the key.
Why it's wrong here
The condition restricts decryption to a specific encryption context.
✗
Yes, if the user also has kms:DescribeKey permission.
Why it's wrong here
DescribeKey does not affect decryption.
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.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The key policy is not shown; the IAM policy is sufficient if conditions are met.
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: No, because the encryption context does not match. — Option B is correct. The condition requires the encryption context to be department=finance, but the object was encrypted with department=hr, so the decryption fails. Option A is wrong because the condition is not satisfied. Option C is wrong because the user does not have kms:DescribeKey permission. Option D is wrong because the condition is not about the key policy.
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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Question Discussion
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