- A
Use Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager to create a snapshot and delete the volume after termination.
Why wrong: DLM can automate snapshot creation, but the snapshot is still encrypted with the original key. If the key is deleted, the snapshot becomes unrecoverable.
- B
Before termination, create a snapshot of the volume, copy the snapshot encrypted with a new KMS key, then delete the volume and the original snapshot after 90 days.
The snapshot copy with a new key ensures data is retained independently of the original volume and key.
- C
Disable the KMS key used to encrypt the volume, then terminate the instance.
Why wrong: Disabling the key prevents decryption, but if the volume is not deleted, it could be re-enabled. Also, snapshots may exist.
- D
Configure the EC2 instance with 'DeleteOnTermination' attribute set to true and enable termination protection.
Why wrong: This deletes the volume but does not retain any data.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to create a snapshot of the volume before termination, copy that snapshot encrypted with a new KMS key, and then delete both the original volume and the original snapshot after the 90-day compliance period. This approach ensures you securely delete EBS volume data while retaining snapshots for compliance because the original volume is destroyed, and the copied snapshot is re-encrypted under a different key, making the original data unrecoverable even if the old KMS key is later compromised. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the interplay between EBS lifecycle, KMS key rotation, and snapshot isolation—a common trap is assuming that simply disabling the original KMS key is sufficient, but snapshots encrypted with that key remain recoverable. Remember the mnemonic: “Snap, Copy, Re-key, then Delete—compliance without a leak.”
SCS-C02 Data Protection Practice Question
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 uses AWS KMS to encrypt EBS volumes attached to EC2 instances. The security team wants to ensure that when an EC2 instance is terminated, the associated EBS volume is automatically deleted and the data is unrecoverable. However, the team also needs to retain the volume's data for 90 days for compliance purposes. What is the most secure and cost-effective approach?
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
Before termination, create a snapshot of the volume, copy the snapshot encrypted with a new KMS key, then delete the volume and the original snapshot after 90 days.
Option D is correct because taking a snapshot of the volume before deletion, encrypting it with a different KMS key, and then deleting the volume ensures the data is retained for 90 days and the original volume is unrecoverable. Option A is wrong because disabling the key does not prevent data recovery if a snapshot exists. Option B is wrong because lifecycle manager does not handle deletion. Option C is wrong because it does not preserve data.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager to create a snapshot and delete the volume after termination.
Why it's wrong here
DLM can automate snapshot creation, but the snapshot is still encrypted with the original key. If the key is deleted, the snapshot becomes unrecoverable.
- ✓
Before termination, create a snapshot of the volume, copy the snapshot encrypted with a new KMS key, then delete the volume and the original snapshot after 90 days.
Why this is correct
The snapshot copy with a new key ensures data is retained independently of the original volume and key.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✗
Disable the KMS key used to encrypt the volume, then terminate the instance.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling the key prevents decryption, but if the volume is not deleted, it could be re-enabled. Also, snapshots may exist.
- ✗
Configure the EC2 instance with 'DeleteOnTermination' attribute set to true and enable termination protection.
Why it's wrong here
This deletes the volume but does not retain any data.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SCS-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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Data Protection — study guide chapter
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Data Protection practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Data Protection — This question tests Data Protection — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Before termination, create a snapshot of the volume, copy the snapshot encrypted with a new KMS key, then delete the volume and the original snapshot after 90 days. — Option D is correct because taking a snapshot of the volume before deletion, encrypting it with a different KMS key, and then deleting the volume ensures the data is retained for 90 days and the original volume is unrecoverable. Option A is wrong because disabling the key does not prevent data recovery if a snapshot exists. Option B is wrong because lifecycle manager does not handle deletion. Option C is wrong because it does not preserve data.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SCS-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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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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