The answer is that the IAM role lacks the s3:GetObject permission and the bucket policy does not grant access to the role. When troubleshooting Amazon Redshift COPY from S3, the IAM role attached to the cluster must include s3:GetObject and s3:ListBucket actions on the target bucket and its objects, while the S3 bucket policy must explicitly allow that role to perform those actions—otherwise, the COPY command fails with an access denied error. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the two-way permission handshake required between IAM roles and resource-based policies; a common trap is assuming VPC security groups or encryption settings block S3 access, but they do not. Remember the memory tip: “Role grants the action, bucket grants the invitation”—both must agree for the COPY to succeed.
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 data engineer is troubleshooting an Amazon Redshift cluster that is unable to access an S3 bucket for COPY operations. The cluster has an IAM role attached. Which of the following could be causing the failure? (Choose TWO.)
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 denies access to the IAM role
Options B and D are correct. The IAM role must have permission to the S3 bucket, and the bucket policy must allow the role. Option A is wrong because VPC security groups control network traffic, not S3 access. Option C is wrong because encryption is not required for COPY. Option E is wrong because Redshift does not need KMS permissions unless using SSE-KMS.
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.
✗
The VPC security group does not allow outbound HTTPS traffic
Why it's wrong here
Security groups do not control access to S3 directly.
✓
The S3 bucket policy denies access to the IAM role
Why this is correct
The bucket policy can override the IAM role permissions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The S3 bucket has default encryption enabled
Why it's wrong here
Default encryption does not block COPY.
✓
The IAM role does not have the s3:GetObject permission
Why this is correct
The role needs s3:GetObject to read from S3.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The KMS key used for encryption is not shared with Redshift
Why it's wrong here
KMS is only relevant if using SSE-KMS.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 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.
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Data Security and Governance — This question tests Data Security and Governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The S3 bucket policy denies access to the IAM role — Options B and D are correct. The IAM role must have permission to the S3 bucket, and the bucket policy must allow the role. Option A is wrong because VPC security groups control network traffic, not S3 access. Option C is wrong because encryption is not required for COPY. Option E is wrong because Redshift does not need KMS permissions unless using SSE-KMS.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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