- A
The Glue Data Catalog resource policy is missing a statement to allow cross-account access.
Why wrong: Lake Formation overrides Data Catalog policies.
- B
The S3 bucket policy does not allow the Producer account's IAM role to read the data.
Why wrong: The error is about Lake Formation, not S3.
- C
The KMS key policy does not allow the Producer account's IAM role to decrypt objects.
Why wrong: The error does not mention KMS.
- D
The Lake Formation permissions in the Security account do not include a grant to the Producer account's IAM role.
Lake Formation must grant cross-account access to the external IAM role.
Question 26 of 1,786
Setting Up Cross-Account Lake Formation Access for Athena
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data security and governance. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 has a multi-account AWS environment with a centralized data lake in the Security account. Data producers in other accounts use AWS Glue to write data to S3 buckets in the Security account. The Security account uses AWS Lake Formation to manage permissions. The data engineer is setting up cross-account access so that users in the Producer account can query the data using Athena in their own account. The engineer has registered the S3 buckets and Data Catalog tables in Lake Formation. The IAM roles in the Producer account have the necessary permissions. However, when a user in the Producer account tries to query the table, they get an AccessDenied error. The error message indicates that the principal is not authorized to perform lakeformation:GetTable on the resource. 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 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
✓
The Lake Formation permissions in the Security account do not include a grant to the Producer account's IAM role.
Option D is correct because Lake Formation requires explicit cross-account grants to the producer account's IAM role for the Data Catalog tables. Even if the S3 buckets and Data Catalog tables are registered, the producer account's role must be granted SELECT and DESCRIBE permissions on the table in Lake Formation. Option A is incorrect because a Glue Data Catalog resource policy is not required when Lake Formation is used for cross-account access; Lake Formation handles the authorization. Option B is incorrect because the S3 bucket policy must allow the producer account's role, but the error specifically mentions lakeformation:GetTable, not S3 access. Option C is incorrect because the KMS key policy is not relevant to the lakeformation:GetTable error.
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.
- ✗
The Glue Data Catalog resource policy is missing a statement to allow cross-account access.
Why it's wrong here
Lake Formation overrides Data Catalog policies.
- ✗
The S3 bucket policy does not allow the Producer account's IAM role to read the data.
Why it's wrong here
The error is about Lake Formation, not S3.
- ✗
The KMS key policy does not allow the Producer account's IAM role to decrypt objects.
Why it's wrong here
The error does not mention KMS.
- ✓
The Lake Formation permissions in the Security account do not include a grant to the Producer account's IAM role.
Why this is correct
Lake Formation must grant cross-account access to the external IAM role.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" 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.
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 |
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.
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Data Security and Governance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DEA-C01 question test?
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: The Lake Formation permissions in the Security account do not include a grant to the Producer account's IAM role. — Option D is correct because Lake Formation requires explicit cross-account grants to the producer account's IAM role for the Data Catalog tables. Even if the S3 buckets and Data Catalog tables are registered, the producer account's role must be granted SELECT and DESCRIBE permissions on the table in Lake Formation. Option A is incorrect because a Glue Data Catalog resource policy is not required when Lake Formation is used for cross-account access; Lake Formation handles the authorization. Option B is incorrect because the S3 bucket policy must allow the producer account's role, but the error specifically mentions lakeformation:GetTable, not S3 access. Option C is incorrect because the KMS key policy is not relevant to the lakeformation:GetTable error.
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: "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?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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