The answer is that the IAM policy is missing the s3:AbortMultipartUpload and s3:ListBucket actions. This is the most likely cause because Kinesis Data Firehose uses multipart uploads for large payloads and must list the bucket to verify the destination path before writing; without these permissions, the delivery stream fails with an access denied error even if s3:PutObject is present. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the specific S3 permissions Firehose requires beyond basic write access—a common trap is assuming only s3:PutObject is needed. Remember that Firehose’s S3 integration is not a simple PUT; it manages uploads in parts, so you must also allow s3:AbortMultipartUpload and s3:ListBucket. A useful memory tip is “Firehose needs to list and abort, not just put and get.”
DEA-C01 Data Ingestion and Transformation 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. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. A data engineer is setting up an Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose delivery stream that writes to an S3 bucket named 'example-bucket'. The IAM role assumed by Firehose has the attached policy shown. When testing, the Firehose delivery stream fails with an access denied error. 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 the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The IAM policy is missing the s3:AbortMultipartUpload and s3:ListBucket actions.
Option A is correct because Kinesis Data Firehose requires the s3:AbortMultipartUpload and s3:ListBucket permissions to write to S3. The policy only allows s3:PutObject and s3:GetObject. Option B is wrong because SSE is not required. Option C is wrong because the bucket policy is not shown to be restrictive. Option D is wrong because encryption keys are not mentioned.
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.
✗
The S3 bucket has server-side encryption enabled that needs additional permissions.
Why it's wrong here
No encryption is shown in the exhibit.
✗
The IAM role does not have permission to use AWS KMS keys.
Why it's wrong here
No KMS key is referenced.
✗
The bucket policy denies access from the Firehose service principal.
Why it's wrong here
No bucket policy is shown.
✓
The IAM policy is missing the s3:AbortMultipartUpload and s3:ListBucket actions.
Why this is correct
Firehose uses multipart uploads and needs these permissions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
No encryption is shown in the exhibit.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Data Ingestion and Transformation — This question tests Data Ingestion and Transformation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The IAM policy is missing the s3:AbortMultipartUpload and s3:ListBucket actions. — Option A is correct because Kinesis Data Firehose requires the s3:AbortMultipartUpload and s3:ListBucket permissions to write to S3. The policy only allows s3:PutObject and s3:GetObject. Option B is wrong because SSE is not required. Option C is wrong because the bucket policy is not shown to be restrictive. Option D is wrong because encryption keys are not mentioned.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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