DEA-C01 Data Security and Governance Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data security and governance. 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 company wants to enforce that all data written to an S3 bucket is encrypted with a customer-managed AWS KMS key. The data engineer has created the KMS key and attached an S3 bucket policy. However, users are still able to upload objects without specifying the KMS key. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The S3 bucket policy does not include a condition that denies s3:PutObject without the correct encryption
Option C is correct because the bucket policy must explicitly deny PutObject if the encryption header does not match the required KMS key. Option A is wrong because KMS key policy is needed but the issue is the bucket policy. Option B is wrong because the IAM role must allow kms:GenerateDataKey, but the issue is the bucket policy. Option D is wrong because S3 default encryption does not force the use of a specific KMS key.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
The S3 bucket policy does not include a condition that denies s3:PutObject without the correct encryption
Why this is correct
The bucket policy must have a deny condition.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
The S3 bucket has default encryption enabled with SSE-S3
Why it's wrong here
Default encryption does not enforce a specific KMS key.
✗
The KMS key policy does not grant the users kms:Encrypt permission
Why it's wrong here
Key policy is needed but not the primary cause of the issue.
✗
The IAM role for the users does not have s3:PutObject permission
Why it's wrong here
If they can upload, they have s3:PutObject.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
The first matching ACL entry is used.
There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
→Check inbound versus outbound direction.
→Read the ACL from top to bottom.
→Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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 ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related DEA-C01 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Data Security and Governance — This question tests Data Security and Governance — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The S3 bucket policy does not include a condition that denies s3:PutObject without the correct encryption — Option C is correct because the bucket policy must explicitly deny PutObject if the encryption header does not match the required KMS key. Option A is wrong because KMS key policy is needed but the issue is the bucket policy. Option B is wrong because the IAM role must allow kms:GenerateDataKey, but the issue is the bucket policy. Option D is wrong because S3 default encryption does not force the use of a specific KMS key.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related DEA-C01 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Question Discussion
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