- A
You can import key material for EBS encryption
EBS does support imported key material with customer managed KMS keys.
- B
AWS managed KMS keys are automatically rotated each year
AWS managed keys are rotated annually.
- C
EBS can use either customer managed or AWS managed KMS keys
Both types are supported.
- D
EBS supports asymmetric KMS keys
Why wrong: EBS does not support asymmetric keys.
- E
You must specify a KMS key when creating a snapshot
Why wrong: You can encrypt a snapshot with a key, but it is not required.
Question 1,106 of 1,546
AWS KMS Key Types for EBS Encryption — Two Correct Statements
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 uses AWS KMS to encrypt EBS volumes. Which TWO statements about using KMS with EBS are correct? (Choose two.)
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
✓
You can import key material for EBS encryption
AWS managed KMS keys (aws/ebs) are automatically rotated annually, meaning AWS generates new cryptographic material for the key each year. This rotation is seamless and does not require any action from the user. Additionally, EBS encryption supports both customer managed and AWS managed KMS keys. Furthermore, EBS supports the use of imported key material for encryption, allowing you to bring your own key material by using a customer managed key with a custom key store. Therefore, options A, B, and C are correct.
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.
- ✓
You can import key material for EBS encryption
Why this is correct
EBS does support imported key material with customer managed KMS keys.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
AWS managed KMS keys are automatically rotated each year
Why this is correct
AWS managed keys are rotated annually.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
EBS can use either customer managed or AWS managed KMS keys
Why this is correct
Both types are supported.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
EBS supports asymmetric KMS keys
Why it's wrong here
EBS does not support asymmetric keys.
- ✗
You must specify a KMS key when creating a snapshot
Why it's wrong here
You can encrypt a snapshot with a key, but it is not required.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume you must specify a KMS key when creating a snapshot, but in reality, the snapshot inherits the encryption from the source volume, and you only need to specify a different key during a copy operation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, when EBS uses a KMS key, AWS KMS generates a unique data key for each volume, which is then used to encrypt the volume's data at rest. The automatic annual rotation of AWS managed keys creates a new backing key, but the key ID (e.g., aws/ebs) remains the same, and EBS continues to use the same data key for existing volumes; only new volumes or re-encryption operations use the new backing key. In a real-world scenario, if you need to enforce a specific rotation schedule or use your own key material, you must use a customer managed key with manual rotation or enable automatic rotation (up to yearly) for customer managed keys.
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.
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
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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 — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: You can import key material for EBS encryption — AWS managed KMS keys (aws/ebs) are automatically rotated annually, meaning AWS generates new cryptographic material for the key each year. This rotation is seamless and does not require any action from the user. Additionally, EBS encryption supports both customer managed and AWS managed KMS keys. Furthermore, EBS supports the use of imported key material for encryption, allowing you to bring your own key material by using a customer managed key with a custom key store. Therefore, options A, B, and C are correct.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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