Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
Exhibit
CloudFront distribution settings excerpt: - Cache policy: custom - Headers included in cache key: Authorization, CloudFront-Viewer-Country - Query strings included in cache key: all - Cookies included in cache key: none Origin request sample: GET /app.8f3a2c1.js?v=20260428 HTTP/1.1 Host: d123.cloudfront.net Authorization: Bearer eyJhbGciOi... User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 CloudFront analytics: - CacheHitRate: 18% - OriginFetches: spike immediately after each deploy - Origin bytes out: high for unchanged JS and CSS files
Based on the exhibit, a static asset distribution site uses Amazon CloudFront with an S3 origin. The assets are versioned by filename, but the cache hit ratio remains low after each release. Which CloudFront change is the best way to improve cache reuse without changing the origin objects?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
Keep the current cache key and increase the S3 bucket's storage class.
Changing S3 storage class does not improve CloudFront cache reuse. The problem is that the cache key is too granular and prevents reuse across requests.
B
Best answer
Remove Authorization and unnecessary query strings from the CloudFront cache key.
Versioned static assets do not need Authorization in the cache key, and arbitrary query strings can destroy cache efficiency. Excluding those fields lets CloudFront reuse the same cached object across many viewers.
C
Distractor review
Disable the CloudFront cache so every request is served directly from S3.
Disabling caching guarantees more origin traffic and worse performance. It would make the origin fetch problem much worse instead of improving cache reuse.
D
Distractor review
Switch the origin from Amazon S3 to an Application Load Balancer.
An ALB origin is not appropriate for static versioned asset delivery. It adds cost and complexity without addressing the cache-key design issue that is hurting hit ratio.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Authentication checks who the user is.
- Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
- Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
- AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
- Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
- Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
- Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A team needs to distribute TCP traffic (not HTTP) across multiple services. The services must see the original client source IP for auditing. Which AWS load balancer is the best fit?
Question 2
A team wants to run containerized services with AWS-managed orchestration and autoscaling. They do NOT require Kubernetes compatibility. Which AWS service choice is most appropriate to meet these goals?
Question 3
A solutions architect is designing an S3 bucket for a IoT ingestion API. The objects must never be publicly accessible, even if a developer later adds an overly broad bucket policy. What should the architect configure? The design must avoid adding custom operational scripts.
Question 4
A solutions architect is designing an S3 bucket for a claims portal. The objects must never be publicly accessible, even if a developer later adds an overly broad bucket policy. What should the architect configure?
Question 5
A team wants to delegate IAM management to developers, but must ensure developers can never grant themselves permissions beyond a specific limit. Which AWS mechanism best matches this requirement?
Question 6
A solutions architect is designing an S3 bucket for a healthcare document service. The objects must never be publicly accessible, even if a developer later adds an overly broad bucket policy. What should the architect configure?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Authentication checks who the user is.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Remove Authorization and unnecessary query strings from the CloudFront cache key. — The exhibit shows a cache key polluted by Authorization and all query strings, which causes CloudFront to treat many otherwise identical asset requests as unique. For public, versioned JavaScript and CSS files, those fields usually should not be part of the cache key. Removing them increases cache reuse and reduces origin fetches. This is the most direct and effective fix because the objects are already versioned by filename. Changing S3 storage class does nothing to improve edge caching behavior. Turning off caching would increase origin load and latency. Replacing S3 with an ALB adds cost and complexity but does not fix the cache key problem that is lowering the hit ratio.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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