- A
Create an IAM policy in each account that denies creation of unencrypted S3 buckets
Why wrong: IAM policies are account-specific and must be applied individually; they do not centrally enforce across all accounts.
- B
Configure an S3 bucket policy on each bucket to require encryption
Why wrong: Bucket policies only apply to existing buckets and do not prevent creation of new unencrypted buckets.
- C
Create a service control policy (SCP) in the management account that denies creation of S3 buckets without KMS encryption
SCPs apply to all accounts in the organization and can deny actions that do not meet encryption requirements, enforcing compliance centrally.
- D
Enable AWS Config rules in each account to detect and remediate non-compliant buckets
Why wrong: AWS Config can detect and even auto-remediate, but requires setup in each account and does not prevent the creation of non-compliant buckets at the time of creation.
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. A key principle to apply: sCPs are guardrails that set maximum permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization.. 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 Organizations to manage multiple AWS accounts. The security team requires that all Amazon S3 buckets in every account be encrypted at rest using AWS KMS customer managed keys. The SysOps administrator needs to enforce this requirement centrally without requiring changes in each account individually. Which approach should the administrator use?
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
Create a service control policy (SCP) in the management account that denies creation of S3 buckets without KMS encryption
Option C is correct because a service control policy (SCP) applied at the AWS Organizations management account can centrally deny the creation of S3 buckets that do not have AWS KMS encryption enabled, affecting all member accounts without requiring individual account changes. SCPs act as a permission guardrail that restricts what actions accounts can perform, even for account administrators, making them ideal for enforcing organization-wide security policies like mandatory KMS encryption on S3 bucket creation.
Key principle: SCPs are guardrails that set maximum permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create an IAM policy in each account that denies creation of unencrypted S3 buckets
Why it's wrong here
IAM policies are account-specific and must be applied individually; they do not centrally enforce across all accounts.
- ✗
Configure an S3 bucket policy on each bucket to require encryption
Why it's wrong here
Bucket policies only apply to existing buckets and do not prevent creation of new unencrypted buckets.
- ✓
Create a service control policy (SCP) in the management account that denies creation of S3 buckets without KMS encryption
Why this is correct
SCPs apply to all accounts in the organization and can deny actions that do not meet encryption requirements, enforcing compliance centrally.
Related concept
SCPs are guardrails that set maximum permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization.
- ✗
Enable AWS Config rules in each account to detect and remediate non-compliant buckets
Why it's wrong here
AWS Config can detect and even auto-remediate, but requires setup in each account and does not prevent the creation of non-compliant buckets at the time of creation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse detective controls like AWS Config rules (which alert or remediate after the fact) with preventive controls like SCPs (which block the action at the API level), leading them to choose a reactive solution instead of the correct proactive, centrally enforced SCP.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SCPs use AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) condition keys such as `s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption` and `s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption-aws-kms-key-id` to deny PutBucketEncryption or CreateBucket actions when KMS encryption is not specified. The SCP is attached to the root OU or specific OUs in AWS Organizations, and it cascades down to all member accounts, effectively blocking any API call that does not include the required encryption parameters, even if the account's IAM policies allow the action. This preventive control is evaluated before any IAM or resource-based policies, making it a powerful guardrail for compliance.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- SCPs are guardrails that set maximum permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization.
- SCPs are applied at the OU or root level and inherited by all child accounts.
- SCPs are preventative, denying actions that violate defined policies.
- SCPs cannot grant permissions; they only filter or restrict permissions granted by IAM policies.
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
SCPs are guardrails that set maximum permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization.
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 sCPs are guardrails that set maximum permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization., then practise related SOA-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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Security and Compliance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SOA-C02 question test?
Security and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — SCPs are guardrails that set maximum permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a service control policy (SCP) in the management account that denies creation of S3 buckets without KMS encryption — Option C is correct because a service control policy (SCP) applied at the AWS Organizations management account can centrally deny the creation of S3 buckets that do not have AWS KMS encryption enabled, affecting all member accounts without requiring individual account changes. SCPs act as a permission guardrail that restricts what actions accounts can perform, even for account administrators, making them ideal for enforcing organization-wide security policies like mandatory KMS encryption on S3 bucket creation.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?
Review sCPs are guardrails that set maximum permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization., then practise related SOA-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
SCPs are guardrails that set maximum permissions for accounts in an AWS Organization.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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