Quick Answer
The answer is that S3 Block Public Access settings are enabled, which overrides the bucket policy and returns a 403 Forbidden error. This occurs because S3 Block Public Access, when activated at the account or bucket level, acts as a higher-priority security control that explicitly denies all public requests, regardless of any permissive bucket policy or ACL. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this concept tests your understanding of the hierarchy of S3 access controls, where Block Public Access settings take precedence over bucket policies and ACLs. A common trap is assuming a bucket policy granting s3:GetObject to Principal "*" alone guarantees public access, but the exam expects you to recognize that Block Public Access can silently block it. Remember the memory tip: "Block first, policy last" — Block Public Access always wins, making it the most likely culprit for unexpected 403 errors on static website hosting.
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of troubleshooting and optimization. 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 developer notices that an S3 bucket used for static website hosting returns 403 Forbidden for anonymous requests. The bucket policy allows s3:GetObject for Principal "*". What is the most likely issue?
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.
The bucket does not have server access logging enabled.
Why wrong: Logging does not affect permissions.
The bucket ACL does not allow public read.
Why wrong: ACLs are not required if bucket policy allows.
The bucket policy is not attached to the correct bucket.
Why wrong: Policy attachment is not the issue.
The S3 Block Public Access settings are enabled.
Block Public Access overrides bucket policies.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The S3 Block Public Access settings are enabled.
D is correct because S3 Block Public Access settings, when enabled at the account or bucket level, override any bucket policy or ACL that grants public access. Even though the bucket policy allows s3:GetObject for Principal "*", the Block Public Access settings explicitly deny all public requests, resulting in a 403 Forbidden error for anonymous users.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
The bucket does not have server access logging enabled.
Why it's wrong here
Logging does not affect permissions.
The bucket ACL does not allow public read.
Why it's wrong here
ACLs are not required if bucket policy allows.
The bucket policy is not attached to the correct bucket.
Why it's wrong here
Policy attachment is not the issue.
The S3 Block Public Access settings are enabled.
Why this is correct
Block Public Access overrides bucket policies.
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.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often assume a bucket policy granting public access is sufficient, overlooking the S3 Block Public Access settings which silently override such policies and cause 403 errors.
Detailed technical explanation
S3 Block Public Access settings are evaluated before any bucket policy or ACL, acting as a hard override. There are four settings: BlockPublicAcls, IgnorePublicAcls, BlockPublicPolicy, and RestrictPublicBuckets; if any of these are enabled, they deny public access even if a bucket policy explicitly grants it. This is a common security best practice to prevent accidental public exposure, but it can cause confusion when developers expect a permissive policy to work.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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.
What to study next
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FAQ
Troubleshooting and Optimization — This question tests Troubleshooting and Optimization — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: The S3 Block Public Access settings are enabled. — D is correct because S3 Block Public Access settings, when enabled at the account or bucket level, override any bucket policy or ACL that grants public access. Even though the bucket policy allows s3:GetObject for Principal "*", the Block Public Access settings explicitly deny all public requests, resulting in a 403 Forbidden error for anonymous users.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This DVA-C02 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 DVA-C02 exam.
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