- A
Use SSE-S3 with default encryption enabled
Why wrong: SSE-S3 uses Amazon-managed keys and does not allow customer control over key rotation, so it cannot meet the 90-day rotation requirement.
- B
Use SSE-C with customer-provided keys and rotate keys using a Lambda function
SSE-C with customer-provided keys and a Lambda function for rotation meets the 90-day requirement and provides encryption at rest. Audit trails can be maintained via S3 access logs and CloudTrail. This has moderate operational overhead but less than fully manual approaches.
- C
Use SSE-KMS with a customer managed key and enable automatic key rotation
Why wrong: SSE-KMS with automatic key rotation rotates keys once per year (365 days), not every 90 days as required. While it provides full audit via CloudTrail, it does not satisfy the rotation schedule without additional manual intervention.
- D
Use client-side encryption with the AWS Encryption SDK
Why wrong: Client-side encryption with the AWS Encryption SDK requires the client to manage key rotation, adding significant operational overhead compared to server-side options.
SSE-KMS S3 Encryption with Key Rotation and Audit
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. A key principle to apply: sSE-C. 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 financial services company must ensure that all data written to Amazon S3 is encrypted at rest and that the encryption keys are rotated every 90 days. The company also needs to maintain an audit trail of when keys were used. Which solution meets these requirements with the least operational overhead?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"least"Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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
Use SSE-C with customer-provided keys and rotate keys using a Lambda function
Option B (SSE-C with customer-provided keys and rotate keys using a Lambda function) is correct because it allows the company to enforce a 90-day key rotation schedule by using a custom Lambda function, which meets the requirement with relatively low operational overhead compared to fully manual solutions. SSE-C provides encryption at rest, and key usage can be audited via S3 server access logs and CloudTrail. Option A (SSE-S3) is incorrect because it does not support customer-controlled key rotation. Option C (SSE-KMS with automatic key rotation) is incorrect because automatic rotation occurs only once per year (365 days), not every 90 days as required. Option D (client-side encryption with the AWS Encryption SDK) is incorrect because it requires custom key management and rotation, increasing operational overhead.
Key principle: SSE-C
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 SSE-S3 with default encryption enabled
Why it's wrong here
SSE-S3 uses Amazon-managed keys and does not allow customer control over key rotation, so it cannot meet the 90-day rotation requirement.
- ✓
Use SSE-C with customer-provided keys and rotate keys using a Lambda function
Why this is correct
SSE-C with customer-provided keys and a Lambda function for rotation meets the 90-day requirement and provides encryption at rest. Audit trails can be maintained via S3 access logs and CloudTrail. This has moderate operational overhead but less than fully manual approaches.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
SSE-C
- ✗
Use SSE-KMS with a customer managed key and enable automatic key rotation
Why it's wrong here
SSE-KMS with automatic key rotation rotates keys once per year (365 days), not every 90 days as required. While it provides full audit via CloudTrail, it does not satisfy the rotation schedule without additional manual intervention.
- ✗
Use client-side encryption with the AWS Encryption SDK
Why it's wrong here
Client-side encryption with the AWS Encryption SDK requires the client to manage key rotation, adding significant operational overhead compared to server-side options.
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
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- SSE-C
- Key rotation
- AWS Lambda
- CloudTrail audit
TExam Day Tips
- 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
SSE-C
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 sSE-C, then practise related SCS-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
- →
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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AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 study guide
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Data Protection — This question tests Data Protection — SSE-C.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use SSE-C with customer-provided keys and rotate keys using a Lambda function — Option B (SSE-C with customer-provided keys and rotate keys using a Lambda function) is correct because it allows the company to enforce a 90-day key rotation schedule by using a custom Lambda function, which meets the requirement with relatively low operational overhead compared to fully manual solutions. SSE-C provides encryption at rest, and key usage can be audited via S3 server access logs and CloudTrail. Option A (SSE-S3) is incorrect because it does not support customer-controlled key rotation. Option C (SSE-KMS with automatic key rotation) is incorrect because automatic rotation occurs only once per year (365 days), not every 90 days as required. Option D (client-side encryption with the AWS Encryption SDK) is incorrect because it requires custom key management and rotation, increasing operational overhead.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Review sSE-C, then practise related SCS-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
SSE-C
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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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