- A
In the KMS key policy, allow the application role to perform kms:Decrypt.
Why wrong: This allows decrypt from any service, not just DynamoDB.
- B
In the KMS key policy, allow the role to decrypt with a condition kms:ViaService = dynamodb.<region>.amazonaws.com.
This restricts key usage to requests coming from DynamoDB.
- C
Use a KMS grant to allow the application to use the key.
Why wrong: Grants are for delegated administration, not for restricting to a specific service.
- D
Attach an IAM policy to the application role allowing dynamodb:GetItem and kms:Decrypt.
Why wrong: The KMS key policy also needs to allow the role to decrypt.
Question 1,202 of 1,748
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 stores sensitive data in Amazon DynamoDB and uses AWS KMS with a customer managed key for encryption. The security team wants to ensure that only specific applications can access the table data. Which policy configuration should be used?
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
✓
In the KMS key policy, allow the role to decrypt with a condition kms:ViaService = dynamodb.<region>.amazonaws.com.
Option B is correct because the kms:ViaService condition restricts the key usage to DynamoDB, and the key policy grants the role permission to decrypt using that condition, ensuring only applications using DynamoDB can decrypt. Option A is incorrect because simply allowing kms:Decrypt in the key policy without a service condition does not restrict usage to DynamoDB; any application with that role could decrypt. Option C is wrong because KMS grants are not typically used for service-level restrictions and do not provide the same control as a key policy with conditions. Option D is incorrect because an IAM policy granting DynamoDB and KMS actions does not restrict that the KMS key is only used via DynamoDB; the key policy must also allow it, and the condition is needed.
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.
- ✗
In the KMS key policy, allow the application role to perform kms:Decrypt.
Why it's wrong here
This allows decrypt from any service, not just DynamoDB.
- ✓
In the KMS key policy, allow the role to decrypt with a condition kms:ViaService = dynamodb.<region>.amazonaws.com.
Why this is correct
This restricts key usage to requests coming from DynamoDB.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use a KMS grant to allow the application to use the key.
Why it's wrong here
Grants are for delegated administration, not for restricting to a specific service.
- ✗
Attach an IAM policy to the application role allowing dynamodb:GetItem and kms:Decrypt.
Why it's wrong here
The KMS key policy also needs to allow the role to decrypt.
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 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.
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 — 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 — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: In the KMS key policy, allow the role to decrypt with a condition kms:ViaService = dynamodb.<region>.amazonaws.com. — Option B is correct because the kms:ViaService condition restricts the key usage to DynamoDB, and the key policy grants the role permission to decrypt using that condition, ensuring only applications using DynamoDB can decrypt. Option A is incorrect because simply allowing kms:Decrypt in the key policy without a service condition does not restrict usage to DynamoDB; any application with that role could decrypt. Option C is wrong because KMS grants are not typically used for service-level restrictions and do not provide the same control as a key policy with conditions. Option D is incorrect because an IAM policy granting DynamoDB and KMS actions does not restrict that the KMS key is only used via DynamoDB; the key policy must also allow it, and the condition is needed.
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.
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.