Question 1easymultiple choice
Full question →- A
SSE-C
Customer provides their own keys.
- B
SSE-S3
Why wrong: Keys are managed by AWS.
- C
Client-side encryption
Why wrong: Not server-side encryption.
- D
SSE-KMS
Why wrong: Keys are managed by AWS.
Question 791 of 1,738
Quick Answer
The correct answer is SSE-C, or Server-Side Encryption with Customer-Provided Keys. This is the right choice because SSE-C allows the company to manage their own encryption keys entirely outside of AWS, meeting the compliance requirement that keys not be managed by AWS. With SSE-C, you provide your own key as part of each S3 PUT request, and AWS performs the encryption and decryption server-side using that key, then discards it—meaning AWS never stores your key. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between server-side encryption options based on key management ownership. A common trap is confusing SSE-KMS, which uses AWS-managed KMS keys, with true customer-managed keys; remember that SSE-KMS keys are still managed by AWS unless you use a customer-managed CMK, but even then AWS holds the key material. For a quick memory tip: think "C for Customer-Controlled" to instantly recall that SSE-C puts key management entirely in your hands.
SCS-C02 Data Protection Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of data protection. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 is designing a data lake on Amazon S3 and needs to encrypt data at rest. The compliance team requires that the encryption keys be managed by the company and not by AWS. Which encryption option 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
✓
SSE-C
Option C is correct because SSE-C allows the customer to provide their own encryption keys. Option A is wrong because SSE-S3 keys are managed by AWS. Option B is wrong because SSE-KMS keys are managed by AWS. Option D is wrong because client-side encryption involves more overhead and is not server-side.
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.
- ✓
SSE-C
Why this is correct
Customer provides their own keys.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
SSE-S3
Why it's wrong here
Keys are managed by AWS.
- ✗
Client-side encryption
Why it's wrong here
Not server-side encryption.
- ✗
SSE-KMS
Why it's wrong here
Keys are managed by AWS.
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 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 — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Data Protection practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
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All SCS-C02 questions
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AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 study guide
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SCS-C02 practice test guide
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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: SSE-C — Option C is correct because SSE-C allows the customer to provide their own encryption keys. Option A is wrong because SSE-S3 keys are managed by AWS. Option B is wrong because SSE-KMS keys are managed by AWS. Option D is wrong because client-side encryption involves more overhead and is not server-side.
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 →
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 is using Amazon S3 to store sensitive customer data. They need to ensure that data is encrypted at rest and that the encryption keys are managed by the company, not AWS. Which S3 encryption option should they use?
easy- ✓ A.SSE-C
- B.Client-side encryption
- C.SSE-KMS
- D.SSE-S3
Why A: Option C is correct because SSE-C allows the customer to provide their own encryption keys and manage them. Option A is wrong because SSE-S3 uses AWS-managed keys. Option B is wrong because SSE-KMS uses AWS-managed KMS keys. Option D is wrong because client-side encryption is not an S3 server-side encryption option.
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.
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