The answer is to use IAM policies to grant specific permissions to users and roles, apply bucket policies for cross-account access, and use S3 access points. These three practices enforce least privilege for an S3 data lake by ensuring permissions are scoped to only what is necessary—IAM policies control user-level access, bucket policies manage cross-account boundaries, and access points provide a dedicated network endpoint with its own policy, reducing the attack surface. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between granular controls and overly broad permissions; a common trap is confusing S3 Block Public Access (which should be enabled, not disabled) with least privilege, or assuming wildcard s3:* is acceptable. Remember the memory tip: “IAM for users, Bucket for cross-account, Access Points for fine-grained control”—if you see “disable Block Public Access” or “grant s3:*”, eliminate those immediately.
DEA-C01 Data Security and Governance Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data security and governance. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 implement least privilege access for its data lake on S3. Which THREE practices should be followed? (Choose THREE.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use S3 bucket policies for cross-account access
Options A, C, and D are correct. Using IAM policies to grant least privilege, applying bucket policies for cross-account access, and using S3 access points are best practices. Option B is wrong because S3 Block Public Access should be enabled, not disabled. Option E is wrong because granting s3:* is not least privilege.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Grant s3:* to all users for simplicity
Why it's wrong here
Full S3 access violates least privilege.
✓
Use S3 bucket policies for cross-account access
Why this is correct
Bucket policies are appropriate for cross-account.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✓
Use S3 access points to enforce network policies
Why this is correct
Access points can restrict access by VPC.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✗
Disable S3 Block Public Access to allow flexibility
Why it's wrong here
Block Public Access should be enabled to prevent public access.
✓
Use IAM policies to grant specific permissions to users and roles
Why this is correct
IAM policies allow granular permissions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Authentication checks who the user is.
Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
→Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
→Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
→Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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 Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related DEA-C01 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Data Security and Governance — This question tests Data Security and Governance — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use S3 bucket policies for cross-account access — Options A, C, and D are correct. Using IAM policies to grant least privilege, applying bucket policies for cross-account access, and using S3 access points are best practices. Option B is wrong because S3 Block Public Access should be enabled, not disabled. Option E is wrong because granting s3:* is not least privilege.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related DEA-C01 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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