- A
The S3 bucket policy in the central account does not include the 's3:PutObject' action for the CloudTrail service.
The bucket policy must explicitly allow the CloudTrail service to put objects; otherwise, the service cannot write.
- B
The S3 bucket must have ACLs enabled to allow cross-account writes.
Why wrong: ACLs are not required; bucket policies are sufficient and recommended.
- C
The source account does not have a VPC peering connection to the central auditing account.
Why wrong: CloudTrail delivery does not require VPC peering; it uses S3's public endpoint.
- D
The CloudTrail trail must be created in the central auditing account, not the source account.
Why wrong: Trails can be created in the source account and deliver logs to a bucket in another account.
Enabling Cross-Account CloudTrail Log Delivery to S3
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of incident and event response. 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 CloudTrail to log API activity in their AWS account. The DevOps engineer needs to ensure that all management events are logged and that the logs are delivered to an S3 bucket in another account for centralized auditing. The engineer has already created an S3 bucket in the central auditing account and applied a bucket policy that grants the CloudTrail service permission to write logs. However, logs are not being delivered. The engineer verifies that the CloudTrail trail is configured to point to the correct S3 bucket name and that the bucket exists. What is the MOST likely reason the logs are not being delivered?
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 in the central account does not include the 's3:PutObject' action for the CloudTrail service.
Option A is correct because the S3 bucket policy must include the 's3:PutObject' action for the CloudTrail service principal. Without this action, even if the bucket policy grants write access generically, CloudTrail cannot put objects. Option B is incorrect because ACLs are not required; bucket policy is the standard mechanism for cross-account access. Option C is incorrect because VPC peering is not needed for S3 cross-account log delivery; it uses public internet or VPC endpoints. Option D is incorrect because CloudTrail trails can be created in one account and deliver logs to a bucket in another account; the trail does not need to be in the central auditing account.
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 S3 bucket policy in the central account does not include the 's3:PutObject' action for the CloudTrail service.
Why this is correct
The bucket policy must explicitly allow the CloudTrail service to put objects; otherwise, the service cannot write.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- ✗
The S3 bucket must have ACLs enabled to allow cross-account writes.
Why it's wrong here
ACLs are not required; bucket policies are sufficient and recommended.
- ✗
The source account does not have a VPC peering connection to the central auditing account.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail delivery does not require VPC peering; it uses S3's public endpoint.
- ✗
The CloudTrail trail must be created in the central auditing account, not the source account.
Why it's wrong here
Trails can be created in the source account and deliver logs to a bucket in another account.
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.
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 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.
- →
Incident and Event Response — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Incident and Event Response practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
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AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 study guide
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DOP-C02 question test?
Incident and Event Response — This question tests Incident and Event Response — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The S3 bucket policy in the central account does not include the 's3:PutObject' action for the CloudTrail service. — Option A is correct because the S3 bucket policy must include the 's3:PutObject' action for the CloudTrail service principal. Without this action, even if the bucket policy grants write access generically, CloudTrail cannot put objects. Option B is incorrect because ACLs are not required; bucket policy is the standard mechanism for cross-account access. Option C is incorrect because VPC peering is not needed for S3 cross-account log delivery; it uses public internet or VPC endpoints. Option D is incorrect because CloudTrail trails can be created in one account and deliver logs to a bucket in another account; the trail does not need to be in the central auditing account.
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
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