- A
Keep the bucket private and allow s3:GetObject only to the CloudFront origin access identity (OAI) or origin access control (OAC) principal (optionally restricting with aws:SourceArn for the specific distribution).
CloudFront is granted permission to read the objects from S3 using its OAI/OAC principal. Because no other principals are allowed s3:GetObject, direct requests to the S3 object URL are denied even if the URL is known.
- B
Allow s3:GetObject to "Principal": "*" but rely on CloudFront signed URLs to prevent access.
Why wrong: If the S3 bucket allows public (or wildcard) GetObject, anyone can retrieve objects directly from S3. CloudFront signed URLs only restrict access to CloudFront, not direct S3 access.
- C
Allow s3:GetObject to the CloudFront distribution using a Condition on aws:SourceIp without restricting the Principal.
Why wrong: S3 bucket policies must authorize via both Principal and conditions. Limiting by SourceIp without a CloudFront-specific principal is not a reliable or correct control for guaranteeing that only CloudFront can read the objects.
- D
Only enable default encryption (SSE-KMS) and leave bucket permissions unchanged.
Why wrong: Encryption at rest protects confidentiality, but it does not control who can read objects. Without restrictive bucket policy permissions, users could still download objects directly from S3 (and potentially decrypt/decrypt depending on KMS permissions).
Quick Answer
The answer is to keep the S3 bucket private and allow s3:GetObject only to the CloudFront origin access identity (OAI) or origin access control (OAC) principal. This is correct because the bucket policy explicitly denies any request that does not come from the CloudFront OAI, so even if someone knows the direct S3 object URL, their request lacks the required principal and is rejected, ensuring users can only access content through CloudFront. On the SAA-C03 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of restricting direct S3 access while enabling CloudFront distribution, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly make the bucket public or use a pre-signed URL. A common memory tip is to think of the OAI as a “secret handshake” between CloudFront and S3—only CloudFront knows the handshake, so any direct request without it is automatically denied.
SAA-C03 Design Secure Architectures Practice Question
This SAA-C03 practice question tests your understanding of design secure architectures. 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.
A company stores private report PDFs in an S3 bucket. They want users to access PDFs only through CloudFront. Even if someone knows the S3 object URL, direct S3 access must fail. What is the best S3 bucket policy approach?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Keep the bucket private and allow s3:GetObject only to the CloudFront origin access identity (OAI) or origin access control (OAC) principal (optionally restricting with aws:SourceArn for the specific distribution).
Option A is correct because it uses an Origin Access Identity (OAI) or Origin Access Control (OAC) to grant CloudFront exclusive read access to the S3 bucket. By setting a bucket policy that allows s3:GetObject only to the CloudFront OAI/OAC principal (and optionally restricting with aws:SourceArn for the specific distribution), direct S3 object URL requests are denied, ensuring users can only access PDFs through CloudFront.
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.
- ✓
Keep the bucket private and allow s3:GetObject only to the CloudFront origin access identity (OAI) or origin access control (OAC) principal (optionally restricting with aws:SourceArn for the specific distribution).
Why this is correct
CloudFront is granted permission to read the objects from S3 using its OAI/OAC principal. Because no other principals are allowed s3:GetObject, direct requests to the S3 object URL are denied even if the URL is known.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Allow s3:GetObject to "Principal": "*" but rely on CloudFront signed URLs to prevent access.
Why it's wrong here
If the S3 bucket allows public (or wildcard) GetObject, anyone can retrieve objects directly from S3. CloudFront signed URLs only restrict access to CloudFront, not direct S3 access.
- ✗
Allow s3:GetObject to the CloudFront distribution using a Condition on aws:SourceIp without restricting the Principal.
Why it's wrong here
S3 bucket policies must authorize via both Principal and conditions. Limiting by SourceIp without a CloudFront-specific principal is not a reliable or correct control for guaranteeing that only CloudFront can read the objects.
- ✗
Only enable default encryption (SSE-KMS) and leave bucket permissions unchanged.
Why it's wrong here
Encryption at rest protects confidentiality, but it does not control who can read objects. Without restrictive bucket policy permissions, users could still download objects directly from S3 (and potentially decrypt/decrypt depending on KMS permissions).
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often think encryption (SSE-KMS) or IP-based restrictions are sufficient to block direct S3 access, but they fail to understand that only a bucket policy explicitly denying access to all principals except CloudFront's OAI/OAC can enforce the requirement.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, CloudFront OAI creates a special IAM principal that can be used in S3 bucket policies; when CloudFront fetches objects, it authenticates as this OAI, and the S3 service evaluates the policy to allow the request. For OAC, CloudFront uses AWS Signature Version 4 (SigV4) to sign requests, providing stronger security and support for features like cross-region replication. A real-world scenario is a media company that must prevent hotlinking of private reports; using OAI/OAC ensures that even if the S3 URL is leaked, the request lacks the OAI/OAC credentials and is denied.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Design Secure Architectures — This question tests Design Secure Architectures — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Keep the bucket private and allow s3:GetObject only to the CloudFront origin access identity (OAI) or origin access control (OAC) principal (optionally restricting with aws:SourceArn for the specific distribution). — Option A is correct because it uses an Origin Access Identity (OAI) or Origin Access Control (OAC) to grant CloudFront exclusive read access to the S3 bucket. By setting a bucket policy that allows s3:GetObject only to the CloudFront OAI/OAC principal (and optionally restricting with aws:SourceArn for the specific distribution), direct S3 object URL requests are denied, ensuring users can only access PDFs through CloudFront.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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