DEA-C01 Data Security and Governance Practice Question
A data engineer needs to audit all access to an S3 bucket containing sensitive customer data. The engineer must record the requester, timestamp, action, and whether the access was denied. Which AWS solution meets these requirements?
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
✓
Enable S3 server access logs for the bucket, storing them in a different bucket.
S3 server access logs capture detailed records of requests made to a bucket, including the requester, timestamp, action, and response status (e.g., whether the access was denied). These logs are stored in a designated target bucket and are specifically designed for auditing access requests. Option A is incorrect because AWS Config tracks configuration changes, not individual access requests. Option B is incorrect because VPC Flow Logs capture IP traffic metadata, not application-level S3 operations. Option C is incorrect because while AWS CloudTrail can log object-level events when Data Events are enabled, S3 server access logs are purpose-built for this auditing requirement and provide granular details out of the box without additional setup or cost beyond logging.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use AWS Config to record S3 bucket-level configuration changes.
Why it's wrong here
AWS Config records configuration state changes to the S3 bucket itself, such as policy modifications or lifecycle rule updates, but it does not log individual object-level access events like the requester, timestamp, action, or denial status. This option is tempting because AWS Config is commonly used for auditing compliance and tracking changes to resource configurations, making it a natural choice for security oversight. It would be correct if the requirement were to audit changes to the bucket’s configuration rather than to log each access attempt.
- ✗
Enable VPC Flow Logs for the VPC where the bucket resides.
Why it's wrong here
VPC Flow Logs capture IP traffic metadata, not S3 API operations.
- ✗
Enable AWS CloudTrail Data Events for the S3 bucket.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail Data Events can record object-level operations, but server access logs are more detailed and cost-effective for this use case.
- ✓
Enable S3 server access logs for the bucket, storing them in a different bucket.
Why this is correct
S3 server access logs provide detailed records of all requests, including requester and access status.
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 |
Go deeper
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This DEA-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services 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 DEA-C01 exam.