- A
The SCP is incorrectly targeting s3:PutBucketAcl instead of s3:CreateBucket.
The SCP should deny s3:CreateBucket unless encryption header is present.
- B
The SCP is not applied to the root OU, only to specific accounts.
Why wrong: Even if the SCP were not applied to the root OU, the issue of being unable to create buckets despite including the header would only affect accounts where the SCP is applied. The question states the problem affects all accounts, suggesting the SCP is applied broadly. The core problem remains the incorrect action, not the scope.
- C
The condition key in the SCP is misspelled.
Why wrong: While a misspelled condition key could cause the condition not to be evaluated, the primary issue is that the SCP denies s3:PutBucketAcl, which is not the action used to create a bucket. Even if the condition were correctly spelled, denying PutBucketAcl would not prevent bucket creation.
- D
The SCP is being overridden by a resource-based policy on the S3 bucket.
Why wrong: SCPs cannot be overridden by resource-based policies; SCPs set an upper boundary on permissions. Resource-based policies can grant additional permissions but cannot override a deny from an SCP. Therefore, this is not the cause.
Troubleshooting SCP Blocking Bucket Creation
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. A key principle to apply: service Control Policy (SCP). 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 company uses AWS Organizations with multiple accounts. The security team wants to enforce that all S3 buckets across all accounts have server-side encryption enabled. They have created an SCP that denies the s3:PutBucketAcl action unless the request includes the x-amz-server-side-encryption header. However, some application teams report that they cannot create buckets even when they include the required header. What is the MOST likely cause of this 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.
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 SCP is incorrectly targeting s3:PutBucketAcl instead of s3:CreateBucket.
Option A is correct because the SCP denies s3:PutBucketAcl, not s3:CreateBucket. The SCP should deny s3:CreateBucket unless the encryption header is present. Option B is wrong because even if the SCP is not applied to the root OU, but only to specific accounts, it would still apply to those accounts; the issue is the action being denied, not the scope. Option C is wrong because if the condition key were misspelled, the condition would simply not be evaluated, and the deny would still block bucket creation despite the header being present. Option D is wrong because SCPs are evaluated before resource-based policies; if the SCP denies the action, the request fails regardless of any resource-based policy that might allow it.
Key principle: Service Control Policy (SCP)
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 SCP is incorrectly targeting s3:PutBucketAcl instead of s3:CreateBucket.
Why this is correct
The SCP should deny s3:CreateBucket unless encryption header is present.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Service Control Policy (SCP)
- ✗
The SCP is not applied to the root OU, only to specific accounts.
Why it's wrong here
Even if the SCP were not applied to the root OU, the issue of being unable to create buckets despite including the header would only affect accounts where the SCP is applied. The question states the problem affects all accounts, suggesting the SCP is applied broadly. The core problem remains the incorrect action, not the scope.
- ✗
The condition key in the SCP is misspelled.
Why it's wrong here
While a misspelled condition key could cause the condition not to be evaluated, the primary issue is that the SCP denies s3:PutBucketAcl, which is not the action used to create a bucket. Even if the condition were correctly spelled, denying PutBucketAcl would not prevent bucket creation.
- ✗
The SCP is being overridden by a resource-based policy on the S3 bucket.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs cannot be overridden by resource-based policies; SCPs set an upper boundary on permissions. Resource-based policies can grant additional permissions but cannot override a deny from an SCP. Therefore, this is not the cause.
Common exam traps
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
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Service Control Policy (SCP)
- SCP Evaluation
- Condition Keys in SCPs
- s3:PutBucketAcl vs s3:CreateBucket
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
Service Control Policy (SCP)
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.
Review service Control Policy (SCP), then practise related DVA-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DVA-C02 question test?
Security — This question tests Security — Service Control Policy (SCP).
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The SCP is incorrectly targeting s3:PutBucketAcl instead of s3:CreateBucket. — Option A is correct because the SCP denies s3:PutBucketAcl, not s3:CreateBucket. The SCP should deny s3:CreateBucket unless the encryption header is present. Option B is wrong because even if the SCP is not applied to the root OU, but only to specific accounts, it would still apply to those accounts; the issue is the action being denied, not the scope. Option C is wrong because if the condition key were misspelled, the condition would simply not be evaluated, and the deny would still block bucket creation despite the header being present. Option D is wrong because SCPs are evaluated before resource-based policies; if the SCP denies the action, the request fails regardless of any resource-based policy that might allow it.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Review service Control Policy (SCP), then practise related DVA-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Service Control Policy (SCP)
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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