- A
AWS Lambda with S3 events
Why wrong: Lambda can remediate but requires custom code and event setup; AWS Config provides a managed solution.
- B
AWS Config with managed rules and auto-remediation
AWS Config evaluates resources against rules and can trigger auto-remediation via Systems Manager Automation.
- C
AWS IAM policy to deny PutBucketEncryption without encryption
Why wrong: IAM policies can enforce encryption at creation but do not remediate existing unencrypted buckets.
- D
AWS CloudTrail
Why wrong: CloudTrail records API calls but does not enforce or remediate configurations.
Question 1,410 of 1,748
Automatically Remediate Non-Compliant S3 Buckets with AWS Config
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of management and security governance. 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 security engineer is designing a solution to enforce that all S3 buckets in an AWS account have server-side encryption enabled. The engineer needs to automatically remediate any non-compliant buckets. Which AWS service should be used to implement this requirement?
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
✓
AWS Config with managed rules and auto-remediation
AWS Config can evaluate resource configurations against rules and automatically remediate non-compliant resources using AWS Systems Manager Automation documents. Option A (Lambda with S3 events) can be used to enforce encryption but is not the primary service for governance at scale and requires custom code. Option C (IAM policy) can prevent creation of buckets without encryption but does not remediate existing non-compliant buckets. Option D (CloudTrail) records API activity but does not enforce configuration requirements.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
AWS Lambda with S3 events
Why it's wrong here
Lambda can remediate but requires custom code and event setup; AWS Config provides a managed solution.
- ✓
AWS Config with managed rules and auto-remediation
Why this is correct
AWS Config evaluates resources against rules and can trigger auto-remediation via Systems Manager Automation.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- ✗
AWS IAM policy to deny PutBucketEncryption without encryption
Why it's wrong here
IAM policies can enforce encryption at creation but do not remediate existing unencrypted buckets.
- ✗
AWS CloudTrail
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail records API calls but does not enforce or remediate configurations.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
- The first matching ACL entry is used.
- There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
- Check inbound versus outbound direction.
- Read the ACL from top to bottom.
- Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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 ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SCS-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
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Management and Security Governance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Management and Security Governance — This question tests Management and Security Governance — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS Config with managed rules and auto-remediation — AWS Config can evaluate resource configurations against rules and automatically remediate non-compliant resources using AWS Systems Manager Automation documents. Option A (Lambda with S3 events) can be used to enforce encryption but is not the primary service for governance at scale and requires custom code. Option C (IAM policy) can prevent creation of buckets without encryption but does not remediate existing non-compliant buckets. Option D (CloudTrail) records API activity but does not enforce configuration requirements.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SCS-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on SCS-C02
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company wants to ensure that all S3 buckets in their AWS account have encryption enabled. Which AWS service can continuously evaluate compliance and automatically remediate non-compliant buckets?
medium- A.AWS CloudTrail
- ✓ B.AWS Config
- C.AWS IAM
- D.Amazon S3
Why B: Option B (AWS Config) is correct: AWS Config with the managed rule 's3-bucket-server-side-encryption-enabled' can continuously evaluate S3 buckets for encryption compliance and trigger auto-remediation actions to enable encryption on non-compliant buckets. Option A (AWS CloudTrail) is incorrect because CloudTrail records API activity but does not evaluate configuration compliance or auto-remediate. Option C (AWS IAM) is incorrect because IAM manages user permissions, not bucket encryption configurations. Option D (Amazon S3) is incorrect because S3 itself does not provide automatic compliance evaluation or remediation; it requires an external service like AWS Config.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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