- A
The CloudTrail trail is not configured to deliver to the central bucket from all regions
Why wrong: The question says trails are enabled in all accounts; missing logs for a few hours suggests intermittent failure, not misconfiguration.
- B
The S3 bucket policy contains a deny condition that requires aws:SecureTransport to be true, but CloudTrail uses HTTP
Why wrong: CloudTrail uses HTTPS by default, so this is unlikely.
- C
The IAM role used by CloudTrail does not have s3:PutObject permission
Why wrong: If the role lacked permission, trails would fail entirely, not intermittently.
- D
The S3 bucket policy denies access unless the PutObject request includes the x-amz-server-side-encryption header with value AES256
If the bucket policy requires the encryption header, and CloudTrail does not send it (since bucket has default encryption), the request is denied.
DOP-C02 Security and Compliance Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. 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 company uses AWS Organizations with 20 accounts. The Security team has configured AWS CloudTrail to deliver logs from all accounts to a central S3 bucket (central-bucket). The bucket policy allows CloudTrail to write objects and uses SSE-S3 encryption. Recently, auditors found that some log files were missing for a few hours. The CloudTrail console shows that trails are enabled in all accounts. The central-bucket has default encryption enabled. What is the MOST likely cause of the missing logs?
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 S3 bucket policy denies access unless the PutObject request includes the x-amz-server-side-encryption header with value AES256
If the bucket's default encryption is SSE-S3, CloudTrail can write without issue. However, if the bucket policy denies writes that do not include encryption headers, but CloudTrail does not include them by default, then logs will be denied. The missing logs suggest a policy conflict. Option A is the most direct cause; CloudTrail may not include the required encryption headers if the bucket policy requires them.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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 CloudTrail trail is not configured to deliver to the central bucket from all regions
Why it's wrong here
The question says trails are enabled in all accounts; missing logs for a few hours suggests intermittent failure, not misconfiguration.
- ✗
The S3 bucket policy contains a deny condition that requires aws:SecureTransport to be true, but CloudTrail uses HTTP
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail uses HTTPS by default, so this is unlikely.
- ✗
The IAM role used by CloudTrail does not have s3:PutObject permission
Why it's wrong here
If the role lacked permission, trails would fail entirely, not intermittently.
- ✓
The S3 bucket policy denies access unless the PutObject request includes the x-amz-server-side-encryption header with value AES256
Why this is correct
If the bucket policy requires the encryption header, and CloudTrail does not send it (since bucket has default encryption), the request is denied.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
- The first matching ACL entry is used.
- There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
- Check inbound versus outbound direction.
- Read the ACL from top to bottom.
- Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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 ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related DOP-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
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Security and Compliance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DOP-C02 question test?
Security and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The S3 bucket policy denies access unless the PutObject request includes the x-amz-server-side-encryption header with value AES256 — If the bucket's default encryption is SSE-S3, CloudTrail can write without issue. However, if the bucket policy denies writes that do not include encryption headers, but CloudTrail does not include them by default, then logs will be denied. The missing logs suggest a policy conflict. Option A is the most direct cause; CloudTrail may not include the required encryption headers if the bucket policy requires them.
What should I do if I get this DOP-C02 question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related DOP-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
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?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This DOP-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 DOP-C02 exam.
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