The answer is that the objects in the 'confidential/' prefix lack the required tag 'classification: public'. This is correct because the S3 bucket policy with object tag condition uses the s3:ExistingObjectTag condition key, which enforces that only objects already tagged with 'classification: public' can be read publicly, regardless of the prefix match. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how S3 bucket policy condition keys interact with object metadata—specifically, that a condition requiring an existing tag will deny access to any object missing that tag, even if the resource ARN and principal are correctly configured. A common trap is assuming the prefix alone grants access, but the tag condition acts as an additional gate. Memory tip: think of the tag condition as a bouncer checking IDs at the door—the prefix gets you to the club, but the tag is the ID you must already have.
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 security engineer created the above S3 bucket policy to grant public read access to objects in the 'confidential/' prefix. However, users report that they receive 'Access Denied' errors when trying to access objects that have the tag 'classification: public'. What is the most likely cause?
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 the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The objects in the 'confidential/' prefix do not have the required tag 'classification: public'.
Option C is correct because the bucket policy includes a condition that requires the object to have the tag 'classification: public' (using s3:ExistingObjectTag). If the objects in the 'confidential/' prefix do not have this tag, the condition fails and access is denied, even though the prefix matches. The policy explicitly grants public read access only to objects that satisfy both the prefix and the tag condition.
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 bucket policy does not grant access to objects owned by other AWS accounts.
Why it's wrong here
The policy allows all principals, but the condition fails.
✗
The 's3:GetObjectVersion' action is not allowed because the bucket is not versioned.
Why it's wrong here
The action is included but irrelevant; the condition is the issue.
✓
The objects in the 'confidential/' prefix do not have the required tag 'classification: public'.
Why this is correct
The condition requires the tag; without it, access is denied.
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 condition should use 'StringLike' instead of 'StringEquals' for tag matching.
Why it's wrong here
StringEquals is appropriate for exact match; StringLike would not change the outcome if tag is missing.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
AWS often tests the interaction between prefix-based and tag-based conditions in S3 bucket policies, leading candidates to overlook that both conditions must be satisfied simultaneously, not just one.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The s3:ExistingObjectTag condition key evaluates tags that are already attached to the object at the time of the request. If the tag is absent, the condition evaluates to false, and the policy denies access. This is a common pattern for attribute-based access control (ABAC) in S3, where tags act as fine-grained permissions. In a real-world scenario, an organization might use lifecycle policies to automatically tag objects, and if the tagging process fails, objects remain inaccessible until the correct tag is applied.
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.
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.
Network Security, Compliance and Governance — This question tests Network Security, Compliance and Governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The objects in the 'confidential/' prefix do not have the required tag 'classification: public'. — Option C is correct because the bucket policy includes a condition that requires the object to have the tag 'classification: public' (using s3:ExistingObjectTag). If the objects in the 'confidential/' prefix do not have this tag, the condition fails and access is denied, even though the prefix matches. The policy explicitly grants public read access only to objects that satisfy both the prefix and the tag condition.
What should I do if I get this ANS-C01 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.
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Question Discussion
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