easyMultiple Choice
CCSP Practice Question: The exhibit shows the versioning configuration…
Network Topology
The exhibit shows the versioning configuration for an S3 bucket. What effect does enabling MFADelete have on data protection?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the misconception that MFADelete applies to all bucket operations, when in fact it only applies to permanent deletion of object versions and suspension of versioning, not to reads, writes, or other management actions.
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
✓
It requires MFA to permanently delete an object version
Enabling MFADelete on an S3 bucket requires multi-factor authentication to permanently delete an object version or to suspend versioning on the bucket. This adds a critical layer of protection against accidental or malicious deletion of object versions, ensuring that even with administrative credentials, a second factor is needed to complete the destructive operation. It does not affect encryption, overwrite prevention, or all operations—only permanent deletion and versioning suspension.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
It automatically encrypts all new object versions
Why it's wrong here
MFADelete adds a second authentication factor before permanently deleting an object version; it does not encrypt anything. Encryption is handled by SSE-S3, SSE-KMS or SSE-C. It is tempting because both features appear under bucket properties, but MFADelete protects against destructive deletion, not confidentiality of object data.
- ✓
It requires MFA to permanently delete an object version
Why this is correct
MFADelete adds a second authentication factor to version deletion. With it enabled, a delete request must include a valid MFA token, so a compromised credential alone cannot permanently remove an object version, strengthening protection against destructive or ransomware actions.
- ✗
It prevents any version of an object from being overwritten
Why it's wrong here
MFADelete protects against permanent deletion of object versions; it does not stop a new version being written over an existing key. It is tempting because it hardens versioning, but overwriting simply creates another version, and only a delete operation on a version is gated by MFA.
- ✗
It requires MFA for all operations on the bucket
Why it's wrong here
MFADelete only gates permanent version deletion and changes to the bucket's versioning state when the requester supplies a valid MFA token; ordinary PUT, GET and LIST calls proceed without it. It is tempting as a blanket access control, but it is a narrow deletion safeguard, not an authorisation layer for every bucket operation.
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 |
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CCSP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CCSP exam.