- A
Enable cross-region replication
Why wrong: Replicates but does not prevent deletion.
- B
Enable MFA Delete on the bucket
Requires MFA for delete operations.
- C
Apply a bucket policy that denies s3:DeleteObject
Why wrong: Option C is wrong because denying s3:DeleteObject does not prevent object overwrites (which are s3:PutObject operations). Additionally, MFA Delete and versioning together provide stronger protection against both deletion and overwrite.
- D
Enable S3 Versioning on the bucket
Preserves versions of objects.
- E
Enable default encryption on the bucket
Why wrong: Does not prevent deletion.
Question 786 of 1,748
S3 Versioning and MFA Delete for Accidental Deletion Protection | AWS Security Specialty Explained
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. 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 implementing a data protection strategy for Amazon S3. Which TWO actions should be taken to protect data from accidental deletion or overwrite?
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
✓
Enable MFA Delete on the bucket
Options B and D are correct. Enable S3 Versioning to preserve previous versions of objects, and enable MFA Delete to require multi-factor authentication for destructive operations. Option A is wrong because cross-region replication does not protect against accidental deletion in the source bucket; it only copies objects to another region. Option C is wrong because a bucket policy that denies s3:DeleteObject alone does not prevent overwrites (which use s3:PutObject) and may not cover all deletion scenarios; MFA Delete and versioning are more comprehensive. Option E is wrong because default encryption only encrypts data at rest, it does not prevent deletion or overwrite.
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.
- ✗
Enable cross-region replication
Why it's wrong here
Replicates but does not prevent deletion.
- ✓
Enable MFA Delete on the bucket
Why this is correct
Requires MFA for delete operations.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Apply a bucket policy that denies s3:DeleteObject
Why it's wrong here
Option C is wrong because denying s3:DeleteObject does not prevent object overwrites (which are s3:PutObject operations). Additionally, MFA Delete and versioning together provide stronger protection against both deletion and overwrite.
- ✓
Enable S3 Versioning on the bucket
Why this is correct
Preserves versions of objects.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable default encryption on the bucket
Why it's wrong here
Does not prevent deletion.
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.
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.
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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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: Enable MFA Delete on the bucket — Options B and D are correct. Enable S3 Versioning to preserve previous versions of objects, and enable MFA Delete to require multi-factor authentication for destructive operations. Option A is wrong because cross-region replication does not protect against accidental deletion in the source bucket; it only copies objects to another region. Option C is wrong because a bucket policy that denies s3:DeleteObject alone does not prevent overwrites (which use s3:PutObject) and may not cover all deletion scenarios; MFA Delete and versioning are more comprehensive. Option E is wrong because default encryption only encrypts data at rest, it does not prevent deletion or overwrite.
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 needs to protect data stored in S3 from accidental deletion by users. Which S3 feature should be used?
easy- A.S3 Lifecycle policies
- B.S3 MFA Delete
- ✓ C.S3 Versioning
- D.S3 Block Public Access
Why C: Option C is correct because S3 Versioning allows retrieval of overwritten or deleted objects, protecting against accidental deletion. Option A is incorrect because Lifecycle policies manage object transitions and expiration, not deletion protection. Option B is incorrect because MFA Delete adds an extra layer of protection for deletion but is not the primary feature for recovering from accidental deletion; it requires versioning to be enabled. Option D is incorrect because Block Public Access prevents public access to buckets, not deletion.
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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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