The correct answer is to apply an SCP that denies the s3:PutBucketEncryption action unless the encryption settings include AES256 or aws:kms. This works because Service Control Policies are account permission guardrails that can block API actions at the AWS Organizations root, OU, or account level, but they cannot modify resources or target individual buckets—they only enforce conditions on the API call itself. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of how SCPs differ from IAM policies and resource-based policies, specifically that SCPs are applied to principals (accounts) rather than resources, and that they use condition keys like s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption to enforce encryption at the time of the PutBucketEncryption request. A common trap is confusing SCPs with bucket policies or thinking SCPs can retroactively encrypt existing buckets. Memory tip: SCPs are “stop signs” for API actions, not “repair shops” for resources.
ANS-C01 Network Security, Compliance and Governance Practice Question
This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network security, compliance and governance. 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 is using AWS Organizations to manage multiple accounts. The security team wants to enforce that all S3 buckets have server-side encryption enabled. Which SCP should be applied to the root OU?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Deny s3:PutBucketEncryption unless encryption settings include AES256 or aws:kms
Option A is correct because an SCP that denies the PutBucketEncryption action unless the bucket has encryption settings matching the desired configuration enforces encryption. Option B is wrong because SCPs cannot be applied to individual resources. Option C is wrong because SCPs cannot modify resources. Option D is wrong because SCPs are not IAM policies.
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.
✗
Create an IAM policy that allows s3:PutBucketEncryption only with specific conditions
Why it's wrong here
SCPs override IAM policies but cannot be resource-based.
✗
Attach an IAM policy to each S3 bucket requiring encryption
Why it's wrong here
SCPs are account-level, not resource-level.
✓
Deny s3:PutBucketEncryption unless encryption settings include AES256 or aws:kms
Why this is correct
Correct SCP approach to enforce encryption.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
Use AWS Config rules to auto-enable encryption on existing buckets
Why it's wrong here
Config rules are detective, not preventive via SCP.
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 ANS-C01 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Network Security, Compliance and Governance — This question tests Network Security, Compliance and Governance — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Deny s3:PutBucketEncryption unless encryption settings include AES256 or aws:kms — Option A is correct because an SCP that denies the PutBucketEncryption action unless the bucket has encryption settings matching the desired configuration enforces encryption. Option B is wrong because SCPs cannot be applied to individual resources. Option C is wrong because SCPs cannot modify resources. Option D is wrong because SCPs are not IAM policies.
What should I do if I get this ANS-C01 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 ANS-C01 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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 →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company uses AWS Organizations to manage multiple accounts. The security team wants to ensure that all Amazon S3 buckets in the organization are encrypted at rest. Which policy should be attached to the root organizational unit to enforce this requirement?
medium
A.Configure AWS Config rules to mark non-compliant buckets and trigger a Lambda function to add encryption.
B.Create an IAM role in each account that requires encryption for any S3 operation.
C.Use an S3 bucket policy on every existing and future bucket to deny unencrypted uploads.
✓ D.Attach a service control policy (SCP) that denies s3:CreateBucket unless the bucket has default encryption enabled.
Why D: A service control policy (SCP) attached to the root OU can deny creation of S3 buckets without default encryption, enforcing encryption across all accounts. Option A is correct because SCPs allow you to centrally control permissions. Option B is wrong because IAM roles are per-account. Option C is wrong because bucket policies are per-bucket, not organization-wide. Option D is wrong because AWS Config rules can detect but not enforce in real time.
Variation 2. A company is using AWS Organizations to manage multiple accounts. The security team wants to enforce that all S3 buckets across the organization are encrypted with SSE-S3. Which control mechanism should they use?
easy
A.Assign an IAM policy to all users that requires SSE-S3.
B.Configure a bucket policy on each bucket to deny writes without SSE-S3.
✓ C.Create a service control policy (SCP) that denies PutBucketEncryption if the encryption is not SSE-S3.
D.Use AWS CloudTrail to monitor and alert on non-compliant bucket creations.
Why C: Option A is correct because SCPs can deny actions that do not comply with encryption requirements. Option B is wrong because IAM policies are account-level and cannot enforce across all accounts. Option C is wrong because bucket policies are per-bucket. Option D is wrong because CloudTrail is logging, not enforcement.
Variation 3. A company is using AWS Organizations to manage multiple accounts. The security team wants to enforce that all S3 buckets across the organization are encrypted with SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS. Which THREE steps should they take to implement this policy?
hard
A.Apply a bucket policy in each account that denies PutObject without encryption.
✓ B.Attach the SCP to the root organizational unit (OU) to apply to all accounts.
C.Use a VPC endpoint policy to enforce encryption for all S3 access from the VPC.
✓ D.Use AWS Config rules to check for unencrypted S3 buckets and trigger automatic remediation.
✓ E.Create a service control policy (SCP) that denies s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock and s3:CreateBucket without encryption settings.
Why B: Options A, B, and C are correct. Creating an SCP in the root OU denies the creation of unencrypted buckets. Additionally, using AWS Config rules and remediation actions can enforce encryption on existing buckets. Option D is wrong because a bucket policy is per bucket, not organizational. Option E is wrong because a VPC endpoint policy controls access to S3 from a VPC, not encryption.
Variation 4. A company is using AWS Organizations with multiple accounts. The security team needs to enforce that all S3 buckets across the organization are encrypted with AWS KMS. Which approach should be used to enforce this policy?
hard
A.Configure each S3 bucket with a bucket policy that denies access if encryption is not used.
✓ B.Apply a service control policy (SCP) at the root level that denies S3 bucket creation unless encryption is configured.
C.Use AWS Config rules to detect unencrypted S3 buckets and automatically remediate them.
D.Create an IAM policy that denies creating S3 buckets without encryption and attach it to all users.
Why B: Option C is correct because a service control policy (SCP) can be applied to the root organizational unit to deny creation or modification of S3 buckets without KMS encryption. Option A is incorrect because an SCP cannot be applied to individual S3 buckets; it applies to accounts. Option B is incorrect because IAM policies are account-specific and cannot enforce across the organization. Option D is incorrect because bucket policies are per-bucket and not centrally enforced.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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