Question 381 of 1,750
Configuration Management and IaChardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

DOP-C02 Configuration Management and IaC Practice Question

This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of configuration management and iac. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

AWS CloudFormation template snippet:
Resources:
  MyBucket:
    Type: AWS::S3::Bucket
    Properties:
      BucketName: !Sub "${AWS::StackName}-data-${AWS::AccountId}"
      VersioningConfiguration:
        Status: Enabled
      LifecycleConfiguration:
        Rules:
          - Id: ExpireOldVersions
            Status: Enabled
            NoncurrentVersionExpirationInDays: 30
  MyBucketPolicy:
    Type: AWS::S3::BucketPolicy
    Properties:
      Bucket: !Ref MyBucket
      PolicyDocument:
        Statement:
          - Effect: Allow
            Action: s3:GetObject
            Principal: "*"
            Resource: !Sub "${MyBucket.Arn}/*"
            Condition:
              StringEquals:
                s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption: "AES256"

An organization wants to ensure that all objects stored in the S3 bucket are encrypted at rest using server-side encryption with S3 managed keys (SSE-S3). The bucket policy above is intended to enforce this. However, a user reported that they can still upload unencrypted objects. What is the MOST likely reason?

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.

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

AWS CloudFormation template snippet:
Resources:
  MyBucket:
    Type: AWS::S3::Bucket
    Properties:
      BucketName: !Sub "${AWS::StackName}-data-${AWS::AccountId}"
      VersioningConfiguration:
        Status: Enabled
      LifecycleConfiguration:
        Rules:
          - Id: ExpireOldVersions
            Status: Enabled
            NoncurrentVersionExpirationInDays: 30
  MyBucketPolicy:
    Type: AWS::S3::BucketPolicy
    Properties:
      Bucket: !Ref MyBucket
      PolicyDocument:
        Statement:
          - Effect: Allow
            Action: s3:GetObject
            Principal: "*"
            Resource: !Sub "${MyBucket.Arn}/*"
            Condition:
              StringEquals:
                s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption: "AES256"

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 condition is applied to the GetObject action, not the PutObject action.

The bucket policy condition `s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption` is applied to the `s3:GetObject` action instead of `s3:PutObject`. This means the policy only checks encryption headers when reading objects, not when uploading them. To enforce encryption at upload time, the condition must be attached to the `s3:PutObject` action, which is the operation that accepts the `x-amz-server-side-encryption` header.

Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.

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 condition is applied to the GetObject action, not the PutObject action.

    Why this is correct

    To enforce encryption on uploads, the condition must be on s3:PutObject.

    Clue confirmation

    The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

  • The bucket policy is not attached to the bucket because of a circular dependency.

    Why it's wrong here

    The policy is correctly referenced; no circular dependency.

  • The bucket policy does not apply to objects uploaded by the root user.

    Why it's wrong here

    Root user is not exempt from bucket policies.

  • The condition should use 's3:x-amz-server-side-encryption-aws-kms-key-id' instead.

    Why it's wrong here

    For SSE-S3, the correct condition is s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption with value AES256.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates often focus on the condition key or value syntax and overlook the action to which the condition is attached, assuming any encryption-related condition will automatically apply to uploads.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Server-side encryption with S3 managed keys (SSE-S3) is enforced by requiring the `x-amz-server-side-encryption: AES256` header on `PutObject` requests. The condition key `s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption` evaluates this header. If the condition is mistakenly placed on `GetObject`, it will never block unencrypted uploads because `GetObject` does not accept an encryption header. In real-world scenarios, this misconfiguration can lead to data being stored without encryption, violating compliance requirements such as PCI DSS or HIPAA.

KKey Concepts to Remember

  • Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
  • Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
  • Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.

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

Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.

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 ClassMin DurationRetrievalUse Case
S3 StandardNoneImmediateFrequently accessed data
S3 Standard-IA30 daysImmediateInfrequent access, rapid retrieval
S3 One Zone-IA30 daysImmediateNon-critical infrequent data
S3 Intelligent-TieringNoneImmediate–hoursUnknown or changing access patterns
S3 Glacier Instant90 daysMillisecondsArchive with instant retrieval
S3 Glacier Flexible90 daysMinutes–hoursArchive, flexible retrieval
S3 Glacier Deep Archive180 daysHoursLong-term compliance archive

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

Related practice questions

Related DOP-C02 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

Practice this exam

Start a free DOP-C02 practice session

Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.

FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this DOP-C02 question test?

Configuration Management and IaC — This question tests Configuration Management and IaC — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The condition is applied to the GetObject action, not the PutObject action. — The bucket policy condition `s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption` is applied to the `s3:GetObject` action instead of `s3:PutObject`. This means the policy only checks encryption headers when reading objects, not when uploading them. To enforce encryption at upload time, the condition must be attached to the `s3:PutObject` action, which is the operation that accepts the `x-amz-server-side-encryption` header.

What should I do if I get this DOP-C02 question wrong?

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

About these practice questions

Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →

How Courseiva writes practice questions · Editorial policy

Keep practising

More DOP-C02 practice questions

Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026

Question Discussion

Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.

Loading comments…

Sign in to join the discussion.

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.