DOP-C02 Resilient Cloud Solutions Practice Question
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
```
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": "s3:PutObject",
"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::example-bucket/*",
"Condition": {
"StringEquals": {
"s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption": "AES256"
}
}
}
]
}
```Refer to the exhibit. A DevOps engineer applies the IAM policy shown to an S3 bucket to enforce server-side encryption. However, users report that some uploads succeed without encryption. What is the most likely reason?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently assume an Allow statement with a condition implicitly denies requests that don't meet the condition, but AWS IAM requires an explicit Deny to block non-compliant actions.
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 policy only allows the action but does not deny actions that do not meet the condition.
The IAM policy shown only allows the s3:PutObject action when the encryption condition is met, but it does not include a Deny statement to explicitly block uploads that do not satisfy the condition. In AWS IAM, an Allow statement alone does not prevent actions that fail the condition; it simply grants permission when the condition is true. Without a corresponding Deny, users with other permissions (e.g., from a broader policy) can still upload objects without encryption, as the Allow does not override other effective allows.
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 resource ARN is incorrect; it should be the bucket ARN.
Why it's wrong here
The resource ARN for objects is correctly specified as bucket/*.
- ✓
The policy only allows the action but does not deny actions that do not meet the condition.
Why this is correct
Without an explicit Deny, other policies may allow uploads without encryption.
- ✗
The action should be s3:PutEncryptedObject instead of s3:PutObject.
Why it's wrong here
s3:PutObject is the correct action for uploading objects.
- ✗
The policy uses StringEquals instead of StringNotEquals.
Why it's wrong here
StringEquals is appropriate to require a specific value.
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 |
Go deeper
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.