This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of database security. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
IAM policy attached to a user:
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"s3:GetObject",
"s3:PutObject",
"s3:DeleteObject"
],
"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::my-db-backups/*"
}
]
}
A user is unable to list the contents of the S3 bucket 'my-db-backups' using the AWS CLI. The IAM policy attached to the user is shown in the exhibit. What is the likely cause?
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
IAM policy attached to a user:
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"s3:GetObject",
"s3:PutObject",
"s3:DeleteObject"
],
"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::my-db-backups/*"
}
]
}
A
The user is using the wrong bucket name.
Why wrong: No indication of wrong bucket name.
B
The policy does not grant 's3:ListBucket' permission.
ListBucket is required to list objects.
C
The resource ARN is missing the bucket-level ARN needed for listing.
Why wrong: The resource includes objects, but listing requires bucket-level ARN.
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 grant 's3:ListBucket' permission.
The correct answer is B because the IAM policy must include the 's3:ListBucket' action to allow listing the contents of an S3 bucket. The given policy lacks this action, so the user cannot list the bucket's objects. Option A is incorrect because there is no indication the bucket name is wrong. Option C is incorrect because the resource ARN in the policy includes the bucket-level ARN (e.g., 'arn:aws:s3:::my-db-backups'), which is sufficient for listing. Option D is incorrect because the policy syntax is valid JSON.
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 user is using the wrong bucket name.
Why it's wrong here
No indication of wrong bucket name.
✓
The policy does not grant 's3:ListBucket' permission.
Why this is correct
ListBucket is required to list objects.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The resource ARN is missing the bucket-level ARN needed for listing.
Why it's wrong here
The resource includes objects, but listing requires bucket-level ARN.
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 DBS-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.
Database Security — This question tests Database Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The policy does not grant 's3:ListBucket' permission. — The correct answer is B because the IAM policy must include the 's3:ListBucket' action to allow listing the contents of an S3 bucket. The given policy lacks this action, so the user cannot list the bucket's objects. Option A is incorrect because there is no indication the bucket name is wrong. Option C is incorrect because the resource ARN in the policy includes the bucket-level ARN (e.g., 'arn:aws:s3:::my-db-backups'), which is sufficient for listing. Option D is incorrect because the policy syntax is valid JSON.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which DBS-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.
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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