What does the S3 MFA Delete feature add to the deletion process?

The S3 MFA Delete feature enhances the security of the deletion process by requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA) for certain actions related to object deletion in an S3 bucket. This means that in addition to standard credentials (your AWS access key and secret key), users must provide a second form of identification via a multi-factor authentication device, such as a physical hardware token or a mobile app. This additional layer of security significantly reduces the risk of accidental or malicious deletions, making it much harder for unauthorized individuals to remove objects from the bucket.

The other options do not accurately describe the purpose of the S3 MFA Delete feature. There is no additional cost for data retrieval associated with MFA Delete; the feature does not increase the speed of processing deletion requests; and it does not involve automatic archiving of deleted objects. Instead, MFA Delete is solely focused on reinforcing security during object deletions.