DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of workload-specific database design. 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 DynamoDB table has a primary key of pk (partition key) and sk (sort key). An application needs to perform GetItem and Query operations but should only be allowed to retrieve the pk and sk attributes. The IAM policy above is applied to the application's IAM role. Why does the policy fail to achieve the goal?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The Deny statement does not prevent retrieval of all attributes when no ProjectionExpression is specified.
Option C is correct because the Deny statement only denies access when the request includes a ProjectionExpression that specifies attributes other than pk and sk. However, if the application performs a GetItem or Query without specifying any ProjectionExpression, DynamoDB returns all attributes by default, which violates the requirement to restrict retrieval to only pk and sk. The policy does not block this default behavior, so it fails to achieve the goal.
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 Deny statement uses the wrong condition key; it should use 'dynamodb:Select' instead of 'dynamodb:Attributes'.
Why it's wrong here
While 'dynamodb:Select' is valid, the core issue is with 'ForAllValues:StringNotEquals' behavior.
✗
The policy should use 'dynamodb:ReturnValues' condition key.
Why it's wrong here
ReturnValues is for write operations like UpdateItem, not relevant here.
✓
The Deny statement does not prevent retrieval of all attributes when no ProjectionExpression is specified.
Why this is correct
If the request does not specify attributes, the condition has no values to compare, so the Deny is not applied, allowing full access.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The Allow statement should include 'dynamodb:Scan' to allow Query operations.
Why it's wrong here
Query does not require Scan permission; the Allow already includes Query.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume a Deny on specific attributes will block all access to those attributes, but they overlook that DynamoDB returns all attributes by default when no ProjectionExpression is specified, making the Deny ineffective unless a ProjectionExpression is always provided.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When a DynamoDB GetItem or Query request omits a ProjectionExpression, the service returns the entire item, including all attributes. The 'dynamodb:Attributes' condition key in a Deny statement only evaluates when a ProjectionExpression is present in the request; if no ProjectionExpression is supplied, the condition is not evaluated and the Deny does not apply. This is a common oversight where policies focus on restricting explicit attribute lists but fail to account for the default behavior of returning all attributes.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Workload-Specific Database Design — This question tests Workload-Specific Database Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The Deny statement does not prevent retrieval of all attributes when no ProjectionExpression is specified. — Option C is correct because the Deny statement only denies access when the request includes a ProjectionExpression that specifies attributes other than pk and sk. However, if the application performs a GetItem or Query without specifying any ProjectionExpression, DynamoDB returns all attributes by default, which violates the requirement to restrict retrieval to only pk and sk. The policy does not block this default behavior, so it fails to achieve the goal.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
This DBS-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 DBS-C01 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.