The answer is to add the s3:ListBucket action for the bucket ARN (arn:aws:s3:::my-data-lake) to the S3 bucket policy. This is correct because the Glue job is failing with an 'Access Denied' error when calling the ListObjectsV2 API, which requires the s3:ListBucket permission on the bucket resource itself, not on individual objects. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that S3 permissions are split between bucket-level actions (like ListBucket) and object-level actions (like GetObject). A common trap is to only grant object-level permissions, forgetting that listing requires a separate action on the bucket ARN. Remember the memory tip: "List the bucket, Get the object"—ListBucket targets the bucket ARN (ending without /*), while GetObject targets the object ARN (ending with /*).
DEA-C01 Data Store Management Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data store management. 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.
An IAM role 'DataLakeRole' has the above S3 bucket policy attached to an S3 bucket. The role is assumed by an AWS Glue job. The Glue job is failing with 'Access Denied' errors when trying to list objects in the bucket. Which action should be added to the policy to fix the issue?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add s3:ListBucket action for the bucket ARN (arn:aws:s3:::my-data-lake).
The Glue job is failing with 'Access Denied' when trying to list objects, which requires the s3:ListBucket permission on the bucket itself (not on objects). Option B correctly adds s3:ListBucket for the bucket ARN (arn:aws:s3:::my-data-lake), which grants permission to list the contents of the bucket. Without this action, even if other permissions exist, the ListObjectsV2 API call used by AWS Glue to enumerate objects will be denied.
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.
✗
Add s3:ListObjects action for the bucket ARN.
Why it's wrong here
s3:ListObjects is not a valid IAM action; the correct action is s3:ListBucket.
✓
Add s3:ListBucket action for the bucket ARN (arn:aws:s3:::my-data-lake).
Why this is correct
ListBucket is required to list objects in the bucket.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Add s3:GetObjectVersion action for the object ARN.
Why it's wrong here
GetObjectVersion is for retrieving a specific version, not listing.
✗
Add s3:ListBucket action for the object ARN (arn:aws:s3:::my-data-lake/*).
Why it's wrong here
ListBucket applies to the bucket, not objects.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse s3:ListBucket (which applies to the bucket itself) with s3:GetObject or s3:ListObjects (which are often misapplied to object ARNs), leading them to pick Option D or A, not realizing that listing requires the bucket-level permission and a bucket ARN, not an object ARN.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the S3 ListObjectsV2 API call requires the s3:ListBucket permission on the bucket resource, not on individual objects. AWS Glue jobs use the AWS SDK's list_objects_v2() method, which maps directly to this permission. A common subtlety is that the bucket policy must explicitly allow s3:ListBucket for the bucket ARN (without any path), and the IAM role's trust policy must also allow the Glue service to assume the role; if the role lacks sts:AssumeRole, the job will fail before even reaching S3.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Data Store Management — This question tests Data Store Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add s3:ListBucket action for the bucket ARN (arn:aws:s3:::my-data-lake). — The Glue job is failing with 'Access Denied' when trying to list objects, which requires the s3:ListBucket permission on the bucket itself (not on objects). Option B correctly adds s3:ListBucket for the bucket ARN (arn:aws:s3:::my-data-lake), which grants permission to list the contents of the bucket. Without this action, even if other permissions exist, the ListObjectsV2 API call used by AWS Glue to enumerate objects will be denied.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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