- A
The EC2 instance profile does not have kms:Decrypt permission
The instance profile must have KMS decrypt permission.
- B
The S3 bucket policy denies access to the EMR cluster's IAM role
Why wrong: Bucket policy likely allows.
- C
The EMRFS consistent view is not enabled
Why wrong: Consistent view is for eventual consistency, not encryption.
- D
The EMR cluster is using an incorrect KMS key ID
Why wrong: The key ID is typically specified correctly.
Question 1,293 of 1,786
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 company uses Amazon EMR to process data stored in S3 with server-side encryption using AWS KMS. The EMR cluster fails with a "403 Access Denied" error when reading data from S3. The IAM role for the EMR cluster has s3:GetObject and kms:Decrypt permissions. What is the most likely issue?
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 EC2 instance profile does not have kms:Decrypt permission
The correct answer is A. Although the IAM role assigned to the EMR cluster has s3:GetObject and kms:Decrypt permissions, the EC2 instances themselves run under an instance profile (an IAM role for EC2). For S3 objects encrypted with SSE-KMS, the EC2 instance performing the read must have kms:Decrypt permission. If the instance profile lacks this permission, the request is denied with a 403 error. Option B is less likely because a bucket policy denying access would be explicit and typically not the first thing to check. Option C (EMRFS consistent view) does not affect S3 access permissions. Option D (incorrect KMS key ID) would cause a different error (e.g., 400 Bad Request or access denied for specific keys), but the primary cause is the missing kms:Decrypt on the instance profile.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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 EC2 instance profile does not have kms:Decrypt permission
Why this is correct
The instance profile must have KMS decrypt permission.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- ✗
The S3 bucket policy denies access to the EMR cluster's IAM role
Why it's wrong here
Bucket policy likely allows.
- ✗
The EMRFS consistent view is not enabled
Why it's wrong here
Consistent view is for eventual consistency, not encryption.
- ✗
The EMR cluster is using an incorrect KMS key ID
Why it's wrong here
The key ID is typically specified correctly.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
- The first matching ACL entry is used.
- There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
- Check inbound versus outbound direction.
- Read the ACL from top to bottom.
- Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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 ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related DEA-C01 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
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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 — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The EC2 instance profile does not have kms:Decrypt permission — The correct answer is A. Although the IAM role assigned to the EMR cluster has s3:GetObject and kms:Decrypt permissions, the EC2 instances themselves run under an instance profile (an IAM role for EC2). For S3 objects encrypted with SSE-KMS, the EC2 instance performing the read must have kms:Decrypt permission. If the instance profile lacks this permission, the request is denied with a 403 error. Option B is less likely because a bucket policy denying access would be explicit and typically not the first thing to check. Option C (EMRFS consistent view) does not affect S3 access permissions. Option D (incorrect KMS key ID) would cause a different error (e.g., 400 Bad Request or access denied for specific keys), but the primary cause is the missing kms:Decrypt on the instance profile.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related DEA-C01 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
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?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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