The correct answer is to create an IAM role in the source account with the necessary permissions and attach a bucket policy in the target account granting access to that role. This is the recommended cross-account S3 access pattern because it follows the principle of least privilege by using temporary credentials from the IAM role rather than long-lived access keys or root user credentials, and the bucket policy explicitly delegates access to that trusted role. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of the secure, two-way trust model for cross-account access: the source account’s IAM role must trust the target account, and the target account’s bucket policy must allow the role’s ARN. A common trap is choosing to hardcode access keys or use IAM users directly, which violates security best practices and the exam’s emphasis on temporary credentials. Memory tip: think “Role + Bucket Policy = Cross-Account Security Handshake.”
DOP-C02 Security and Compliance Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 company is migrating a legacy application to AWS. The application requires cross-account access to an S3 bucket in a different AWS account. The security team wants to follow the principle of least privilege. How should the DevOps engineer configure the access?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create an IAM role in the source account with necessary permissions and attach a bucket policy in the target account granting access to that role.
Option D is correct because using an IAM role in the source account with a bucket policy in the target account that allows the role is the recommended cross-account access pattern. Option A is wrong because using root user credentials is insecure. Option B is wrong because access keys should not be hardcoded. Option C is wrong because IAM users in the source account should not be used directly; a role is preferred.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Generate an access key for the root user of the source account and use it in the application.
Why it's wrong here
Root user should not be used.
✓
Create an IAM role in the source account with necessary permissions and attach a bucket policy in the target account granting access to that role.
Why this is correct
Least privilege and secure cross-account access.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✗
Create an IAM user in the target account with access keys and store them in AWS Secrets Manager.
Why it's wrong here
Not least privilege; uses long-term credentials.
✗
Create an IAM user in the source account with programmatic access and a bucket policy allowing that user.
Why it's wrong here
IAM users are not recommended for cross-account; roles are better.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Authentication checks who the user is.
Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
→Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
→Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
→Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related DOP-C02 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Security and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an IAM role in the source account with necessary permissions and attach a bucket policy in the target account granting access to that role. — Option D is correct because using an IAM role in the source account with a bucket policy in the target account that allows the role is the recommended cross-account access pattern. Option A is wrong because using root user credentials is insecure. Option B is wrong because access keys should not be hardcoded. Option C is wrong because IAM users in the source account should not be used directly; a role is preferred.
What should I do if I get this DOP-C02 question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related DOP-C02 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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