The answer is to use a service control policy (SCP) to deny creation of buckets without encryption. This works because SCPs act as a centralized guardrail at the AWS Organizations level, allowing you to enforce encryption on new S3 buckets across all accounts in an organization by explicitly denying any PutBucket or CreateBucket action that does not include the x-amz-server-side-encryption header. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of the difference between preventive controls (SCPs) and detective controls (like CloudTrail or default bucket settings). A common trap is confusing default encryption, which is set per bucket and not enforceable globally, with an SCP that applies organization-wide. Remember the mnemonic: "SCP stops creation cold, default is per bucket, not global control."
SOA-C02 Security and Compliance Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. 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's security team wants to ensure that all new S3 buckets created in the AWS account are automatically encrypted with server-side encryption. What should a SysOps administrator do to enforce this?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use a service control policy (SCP) to deny creation of buckets without encryption.
Option D is correct because a bucket policy can deny creation of buckets without encryption, and SCPs can enforce the policy across the organization. Option A is wrong because default encryption is set per bucket, not globally. Option B is wrong because CloudTrail does not enforce encryption. Option C is wrong because S3 Block Public Access does not enforce encryption.
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.
✗
Enable S3 Block Public Access at the account level.
Why it's wrong here
This prevents public access, not encryption.
✗
Use AWS CloudTrail to monitor bucket creation and trigger a Lambda function to encrypt the bucket.
Why it's wrong here
This is reactive, not preventive.
✗
Enable default encryption on each existing bucket.
Why it's wrong here
This does not enforce encryption on new buckets.
✓
Use a service control policy (SCP) to deny creation of buckets without encryption.
Why this is correct
SCPs can prevent creation of unencrypted buckets across the organization.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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.
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 SOA-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Security and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a service control policy (SCP) to deny creation of buckets without encryption. — Option D is correct because a bucket policy can deny creation of buckets without encryption, and SCPs can enforce the policy across the organization. Option A is wrong because default encryption is set per bucket, not globally. Option B is wrong because CloudTrail does not enforce encryption. Option C is wrong because S3 Block Public Access does not enforce encryption.
What should I do if I get this SOA-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 SOA-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Question Discussion
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