- A
CloudFront cache policy
Why wrong: This does not meet the stated requirement as directly as the correct option.
- B
S3 bucket/object access policy or IAM policy
Correct for the stated requirement.
- C
KMS key policy allowing decrypt to the caller
Correct for the stated requirement.
- D
Route 53 resolver rule policy
Why wrong: This does not meet the stated requirement as directly as the correct option.
Question 1,027 of 1,616
DVA-C02 Troubleshooting and Optimization Practice Question
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.
Users receive AccessDenied when downloading SSE-KMS encrypted S3 objects cross-account. Which two policies may need changes?
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
✓
S3 bucket/object access policy or IAM policy
When accessing SSE-KMS encrypted S3 objects cross-account, the S3 bucket policy or the IAM policy must explicitly grant the s3:GetObject permission to the caller. Additionally, the KMS key policy must allow the kms:Decrypt action for the caller's AWS account or IAM role, because SSE-KMS uses a customer master key (CMK) to encrypt the object, and decryption requires KMS permissions. Without both policies, the request fails with AccessDenied even if the S3 permissions are correct.
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.
- ✗
CloudFront cache policy
Why it's wrong here
This does not meet the stated requirement as directly as the correct option.
- ✓
S3 bucket/object access policy or IAM policy
Why this is correct
Correct for the stated requirement.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
KMS key policy allowing decrypt to the caller
Why this is correct
Correct for the stated requirement.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Route 53 resolver rule policy
Why it's wrong here
This does not meet the stated requirement as directly as the correct option.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume only the S3 bucket policy needs updating, forgetting that SSE-KMS adds a second authorization layer via KMS key policies, which must explicitly allow the decrypt action for the cross-account caller.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, SSE-KMS encrypts each S3 object with a unique data key, which is then wrapped by the CMK. When a user downloads the object, S3 calls KMS to decrypt the data key using kms:Decrypt, and the KMS key policy must allow this operation for the caller's principal. A common subtlety is that the KMS key policy must explicitly grant access to the external account or IAM role, and the IAM policy in the external account must also allow kms:Decrypt; a bucket policy alone is insufficient for cross-account access with SSE-KMS.
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 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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Troubleshooting and Optimization — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Troubleshooting and Optimization practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All DVA-C02 questions
1,616 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
DVA-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related DVA-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Development with AWS Services practice questions
Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to Development with AWS Services.
Security practice questions
Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to Security.
Deployment practice questions
Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to Deployment.
Troubleshooting and Optimization practice questions
Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to Troubleshooting and Optimization.
DVA-C02 fundamentals practice questions
Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to DVA-C02 fundamentals.
DVA-C02 scenario practice questions
Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to DVA-C02 scenario.
DVA-C02 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to DVA-C02 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free DVA-C02 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DVA-C02 question test?
Troubleshooting and Optimization — This question tests Troubleshooting and Optimization — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: S3 bucket/object access policy or IAM policy — When accessing SSE-KMS encrypted S3 objects cross-account, the S3 bucket policy or the IAM policy must explicitly grant the s3:GetObject permission to the caller. Additionally, the KMS key policy must allow the kms:Decrypt action for the caller's AWS account or IAM role, because SSE-KMS uses a customer master key (CMK) to encrypt the object, and decryption requires KMS permissions. Without both policies, the request fails with AccessDenied even if the S3 permissions are correct.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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 →
Keep practising
More DVA-C02 practice questions
- A developer is troubleshooting an AWS Lambda function that is triggered by an S3 event. The function occasionally fails…
- A developer needs to call AWS APIs from application code running on EC2. Which credential source should the AWS SDK use…
- A developer needs to allow an IAM user in a different AWS account to assume a role in the developer's account. The role…
- A developer needs to grant an IAM role in Account B read-only access to objects in an S3 bucket in Account A. The bucket…
- An API Gateway HTTP API should allow access only to users authenticated by an external OIDC provider. Which authorizer t…
- A developer needs to allow an EC2 instance to read from a DynamoDB table. Which is the best practice to grant permission…
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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.
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.