The correct action is to attach an IAM policy to the users or roles in the member accounts that explicitly grants kms:GenerateDataKey using the central KMS key. This is necessary because, while the KMS key policy in the master account allows the root user of each member account to use the key, that permission alone does not propagate to IAM principals within those accounts. For cross-account KMS key permissions for S3 SSE-KMS to work, the member account’s IAM role or user must have an explicit IAM policy allowing kms:GenerateDataKey, which is the action S3 calls when encrypting an object with a customer-managed key. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the layered permission model: KMS key policies grant cross-account access, but IAM policies in the target account are still required to authorize the specific API call. A common trap is assuming the key policy alone suffices, or confusing bucket policies with KMS actions. Memory tip: "Key policy opens the door, IAM policy walks through it."
SOA-C02 Security and Compliance Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 SysOps administrator is managing a multi-account AWS environment using AWS Organizations. The security team has mandated that all Amazon S3 buckets across all accounts must be encrypted with SSE-KMS using a centrally managed KMS key. The administrator has created a KMS key in the master account and enabled key rotation. The key policy allows the root user of each member account to use the key. However, users in member accounts report that they cannot upload objects to their S3 buckets with SSE-KMS using the central key, even though they have s3:PutObject permissions. The administrator verifies that the KMS key policy includes the necessary permissions for the member accounts. What should the administrator do to resolve the issue?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Attach an IAM policy to the users/roles in the member accounts that allows kms:GenerateDataKey using the central KMS key.
Option D is correct because the KMS key policy allows the root user, but that alone is insufficient; the IAM role or user in the member account must have explicit kms:GenerateDataKey permission. Option A is wrong because the key is already in the master account. Option B is wrong because enabling cross-account access is already done via key policy. Option C is wrong because the issue is not about bucket policy (which may allow encryption but not KMS actions).
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.
✗
Create a new KMS key in each member account and configure S3 bucket default encryption accordingly.
Why it's wrong here
This defeats central management.
✗
Ensure that the KMS key policy allows the master account to administer the key.
Why it's wrong here
The key is already in the master account.
✓
Attach an IAM policy to the users/roles in the member accounts that allows kms:GenerateDataKey using the central KMS key.
Why this is correct
The IAM principal needs explicit KMS permission to use the key for encryption.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Update the S3 bucket policy to allow the s3:PutObject action only when encryption is set to SSE-KMS.
Why it's wrong here
The bucket policy might enforce encryption but does not grant KMS permissions.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which SOA-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.
Security and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Attach an IAM policy to the users/roles in the member accounts that allows kms:GenerateDataKey using the central KMS key. — Option D is correct because the KMS key policy allows the root user, but that alone is insufficient; the IAM role or user in the member account must have explicit kms:GenerateDataKey permission. Option A is wrong because the key is already in the master account. Option B is wrong because enabling cross-account access is already done via key policy. Option C is wrong because the issue is not about bucket policy (which may allow encryption but not KMS actions).
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SOA-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.
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Question Discussion
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