- A
The table is not registered as a resource in Lake Formation
Why wrong: The table is registered.
- B
The analyst does not have DESCRIBE permission on the table
Why wrong: DESCRIBE is not required for SELECT.
- C
The analyst lacks GetObject and ListBucket permissions on the underlying S3 location
Lake Formation grants metadata permissions, but S3 permissions are still needed for partition projection.
- D
The table uses server-side encryption with KMS and the analyst lacks kms:Decrypt permission
Why wrong: KMS permissions would cause errors, not zero rows.
Question 1,530 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 AWS Lake Formation to manage permissions on a data lake in S3. A data analyst reports that queries using Amazon Athena return zero rows for a table that the analyst has been granted SELECT permission on. The table is registered in Lake Formation and uses a partition projection. 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 analyst lacks GetObject and ListBucket permissions on the underlying S3 location
Option C is correct because when a table in Lake Formation uses partition projection, Athena bypasses the Glue Data Catalog for partition discovery and directly accesses the S3 location. This requires explicit S3 permissions (GetObject and ListBucket) on the underlying data, which Lake Formation does not automatically grant. The analyst likely can see the table metadata but cannot read the data, resulting in zero rows. Option A is incorrect because the table is registered in Lake Formation (otherwise it wouldn't appear in Athena). Option B is incorrect because DESCRIBE permission is not required for SELECT queries; SELECT alone should suffice. Option D is incorrect because encryption permission issues would cause an error message, not a silent return of zero rows.
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 table is not registered as a resource in Lake Formation
Why it's wrong here
The table is registered.
- ✗
The analyst does not have DESCRIBE permission on the table
Why it's wrong here
DESCRIBE is not required for SELECT.
- ✓
The analyst lacks GetObject and ListBucket permissions on the underlying S3 location
Why this is correct
Lake Formation grants metadata permissions, but S3 permissions are still needed for partition projection.
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 table uses server-side encryption with KMS and the analyst lacks kms:Decrypt permission
Why it's wrong here
KMS permissions would cause errors, not zero rows.
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
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 analyst lacks GetObject and ListBucket permissions on the underlying S3 location — Option C is correct because when a table in Lake Formation uses partition projection, Athena bypasses the Glue Data Catalog for partition discovery and directly accesses the S3 location. This requires explicit S3 permissions (GetObject and ListBucket) on the underlying data, which Lake Formation does not automatically grant. The analyst likely can see the table metadata but cannot read the data, resulting in zero rows. Option A is incorrect because the table is registered in Lake Formation (otherwise it wouldn't appear in Athena). Option B is incorrect because DESCRIBE permission is not required for SELECT queries; SELECT alone should suffice. Option D is incorrect because encryption permission issues would cause an error message, not a silent return of zero rows.
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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