DEA-C01 Data Ingestion and Transformation Practice Question
Exhibit
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"s3:GetObject",
"s3:PutObject"
],
"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::data-lake-primary/*"
},
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"kinesis:PutRecord",
"kinesis:PutRecords"
],
"Resource": "arn:aws:kinesis:us-east-1:123456789012:stream/clickstream"
}
]
}Refer to the exhibit. An IAM policy is attached to an EC2 instance role that runs a data ingestion application. The application reads files from an S3 bucket 'data-lake-primary' and sends records to a Kinesis stream named 'clickstream'. The application is failing with an 'AccessDenied' error when trying to read from S3. What is the MOST likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
The DEA-C01 exam often tests the misconception that only s3:GetObject is needed for reading from S3, ignoring that many SDK operations require s3:ListBucket for discovery or navigation, leading candidates to overlook this permission.
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 policy does not include the s3:ListBucket permission.
The application reads files from an S3 bucket, which requires both s3:GetObject (to read the object) and s3:ListBucket (to list objects in the bucket, typically needed for operations like listing or navigating the bucket). Without s3:ListBucket, the SDK may fail with an AccessDenied error when it tries to enumerate objects or validate the bucket path, even if s3:GetObject is present. Option D correctly identifies this missing permission as the most likely cause.
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 actions are specified incorrectly; they should be s3:GetObject and s3:PutObject only.
Why it's wrong here
Actions are correct.
- ✗
The policy is not attached to the EC2 instance role.
Why it's wrong here
The question states it is attached.
- ✗
The Kinesis stream name is incorrect.
Why it's wrong here
The stream name matches the policy resource.
- ✓
The policy does not include the s3:ListBucket permission.
Why this is correct
Reading objects often requires ListBucket permission for the bucket.
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 |
Go deeper
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This DEA-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DEA-C01 exam.