- A
Create an IAM role in the target account and have the Glue job assume that role
Why wrong: It is possible for a Glue job to assume an IAM role in another account using sts:AssumeRole, but this is not the recommended approach for cross-account S3 access. The standard pattern is to use a bucket policy in the target account that grants access to the Glue job's IAM role. Option A adds complexity and requires additional trust configuration.
- B
Assign an IAM role to the Glue job with permissions to access the bucket, and configure the bucket policy to allow the role
Correct. To allow a Glue job in one account to access an S3 bucket in another account, the Glue job's IAM role must have the necessary S3 permissions, and the bucket policy in the target account must explicitly grant those permissions to the role's ARN. This is the recommended cross-account access pattern.
- C
Configure the S3 bucket policy to allow the Glue job's IAM role and also set the Glue job's resource-based policy
Why wrong: Incorrect. AWS Glue jobs do not have resource-based policies (like Lambda does). They rely solely on IAM roles for permissions. Therefore, setting a resource-based policy on the Glue job is not possible.
- D
Store AWS access keys for the target account in AWS Secrets Manager and have the Glue job retrieve them
Why wrong: Incorrect. AWS Glue jobs cannot use static AWS access keys from Secrets Manager. They authenticate using an IAM role assigned to the job. Storing access keys is not a supported or secure method for Glue to access AWS resources.
DEA-C01 Cross-account S3 access Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data ingestion and transformation. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. A key principle to apply: cross-account S3 access. 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 uses AWS Glue for ETL jobs. The data engineer needs to ensure that the Glue job can access an S3 bucket in another account. What is the recommended approach?
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
Assign an IAM role to the Glue job with permissions to access the bucket, and configure the bucket policy to allow the role
The correct answer is B. For a Glue job in one account to access an S3 bucket in another account, the standard approach is to grant the Glue job's IAM role permissions to perform S3 actions on the bucket and configure the bucket policy in the target account to allow that role's ARN. Option A is technically possible if the target account's role trusts the Glue job's account and the job has sts:AssumeRole permissions, but this adds unnecessary complexity and is not the recommended method. Option C is incorrect because Glue jobs do not have resource-based policies. Option D is incorrect because Glue jobs cannot use static access keys.
Key principle: Cross-account S3 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.
- ✗
Create an IAM role in the target account and have the Glue job assume that role
Why it's wrong here
It is possible for a Glue job to assume an IAM role in another account using sts:AssumeRole, but this is not the recommended approach for cross-account S3 access. The standard pattern is to use a bucket policy in the target account that grants access to the Glue job's IAM role. Option A adds complexity and requires additional trust configuration.
- ✓
Assign an IAM role to the Glue job with permissions to access the bucket, and configure the bucket policy to allow the role
Why this is correct
Correct. To allow a Glue job in one account to access an S3 bucket in another account, the Glue job's IAM role must have the necessary S3 permissions, and the bucket policy in the target account must explicitly grant those permissions to the role's ARN. This is the recommended cross-account access pattern.
Related concept
Cross-account S3 access
- ✗
Configure the S3 bucket policy to allow the Glue job's IAM role and also set the Glue job's resource-based policy
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. AWS Glue jobs do not have resource-based policies (like Lambda does). They rely solely on IAM roles for permissions. Therefore, setting a resource-based policy on the Glue job is not possible.
- ✗
Store AWS access keys for the target account in AWS Secrets Manager and have the Glue job retrieve them
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. AWS Glue jobs cannot use static AWS access keys from Secrets Manager. They authenticate using an IAM role assigned to the job. Storing access keys is not a supported or secure method for Glue to access AWS resources.
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
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Cross-account S3 access
- IAM role for Glue
- Bucket policy
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
Cross-account S3 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 cross-account S3 access, then practise related DEA-C01 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DEA-C01 question test?
Data Ingestion and Transformation — This question tests Data Ingestion and Transformation — Cross-account S3 access.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Assign an IAM role to the Glue job with permissions to access the bucket, and configure the bucket policy to allow the role — The correct answer is B. For a Glue job in one account to access an S3 bucket in another account, the standard approach is to grant the Glue job's IAM role permissions to perform S3 actions on the bucket and configure the bucket policy in the target account to allow that role's ARN. Option A is technically possible if the target account's role trusts the Glue job's account and the job has sts:AssumeRole permissions, but this adds unnecessary complexity and is not the recommended method. Option C is incorrect because Glue jobs do not have resource-based policies. Option D is incorrect because Glue jobs cannot use static access keys.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Review cross-account S3 access, then practise related DEA-C01 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Cross-account S3 access
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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