- A
The IAM role is missing kms:Encrypt permission
Writing with SSE-KMS requires kms:Encrypt.
- B
The target S3 bucket policy denies s3:PutObject
Why wrong: Option B is incorrect because if the target bucket policy denied s3:PutObject, the job would fail on the PutObject action itself, not on encryption. The error is related to KMS permissions, not S3 bucket policy.
- C
The KMS key policy does not grant the Glue role kms:GenerateDataKey
Why wrong: Option C is incorrect because the IAM role already has kms:GenerateDataKey permission as stated in the scenario. The missing permission is kms:Encrypt, which is needed to encrypt objects with SSE-KMS.
- D
The source bucket's encryption type is incompatible with the target
Why wrong: Encryption type mismatch does not cause failure.
Troubleshooting Glue ETL Job Failure Writing to SSE-KMS Encrypted S3 Bucket
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 has an AWS Glue ETL job that reads data from an S3 bucket encrypted with SSE-S3. The job runs successfully, but the output written to another S3 bucket with SSE-KMS fails. The IAM role for the Glue job has s3:PutObject and kms:GenerateDataKey permissions. 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 IAM role is missing kms:Encrypt permission
For SSE-KMS, the IAM role needs both kms:GenerateDataKey and kms:Encrypt permissions to write objects. The role already has kms:GenerateDataKey, but missing kms:Encrypt causes the write to fail. Option A is correct. Option B is incorrect because if the bucket policy denied s3:PutObject, the job would fail on the PutObject action itself, not on encryption. Option C is incorrect because the role already has kms:GenerateDataKey; the missing permission is kms:Encrypt. Option D is incorrect because the source bucket's encryption (SSE-S3) is irrelevant to the write operation; the error occurs on the target bucket with SSE-KMS.
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 IAM role is missing kms:Encrypt permission
Why this is correct
Writing with SSE-KMS requires kms:Encrypt.
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.
- ✗
The target S3 bucket policy denies s3:PutObject
Why it's wrong here
Option B is incorrect because if the target bucket policy denied s3:PutObject, the job would fail on the PutObject action itself, not on encryption. The error is related to KMS permissions, not S3 bucket policy.
- ✗
The KMS key policy does not grant the Glue role kms:GenerateDataKey
Why it's wrong here
Option C is incorrect because the IAM role already has kms:GenerateDataKey permission as stated in the scenario. The missing permission is kms:Encrypt, which is needed to encrypt objects with SSE-KMS.
- ✗
The source bucket's encryption type is incompatible with the target
Why it's wrong here
Encryption type mismatch does not cause failure.
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
Scenario analysis trap
Option C is incorrect because the IAM role already has kms:GenerateDataKey permission as stated in the scenario. The missing permission is kms:Encrypt, which is needed to encrypt objects with SSE-KMS.
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.
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.
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.
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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 — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The IAM role is missing kms:Encrypt permission — For SSE-KMS, the IAM role needs both kms:GenerateDataKey and kms:Encrypt permissions to write objects. The role already has kms:GenerateDataKey, but missing kms:Encrypt causes the write to fail. Option A is correct. Option B is incorrect because if the bucket policy denied s3:PutObject, the job would fail on the PutObject action itself, not on encryption. Option C is incorrect because the role already has kms:GenerateDataKey; the missing permission is kms:Encrypt. Option D is incorrect because the source bucket's encryption (SSE-S3) is irrelevant to the write operation; the error occurs on the target bucket with SSE-KMS.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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