The answer is no, the upload will fail because the IAM policy explicitly denies PutObject when the encryption header is not set to AES256. This happens because IAM policy evaluation occurs before any bucket default encryption is applied; when no encryption header is specified, the condition `StringNotEquals "s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption" "AES256"` evaluates to true, triggering the deny. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the IAM policy evaluation logic versus bucket default encryption—a common trap is assuming default encryption retroactively satisfies the policy condition, but AWS evaluates the request as-is at the time of the API call. Remember the key distinction: IAM policies inspect the request headers, not the eventual storage behavior. Memory tip: “Headers first, default later—if the policy says no, the upload’s a goner.”
SAP-C02 Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of continuous improvement for existing solutions. 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 applies the above IAM policy to an S3 bucket. An IAM user attempts to upload an object without specifying encryption. Will the upload succeed?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
No, because the policy denies the request.
Option B is correct because the policy denies PutObject if encryption is not AES256. Since no encryption header is specified, the condition matches (StringNotEquals is true because the header is absent), so the request is denied. Option A is wrong because even though bucket default encryption might apply, the policy evaluation happens before the default encryption is applied. Options C and D are incorrect.
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.
✗
Yes, because the user can override the policy with s3:PutObjectAcl.
Why it's wrong here
ACLs do not override IAM policies.
✗
Yes, because the bucket has default encryption enabled.
Why it's wrong here
Policy evaluation occurs before default encryption is applied; the deny overrides.
✗
No, because the user needs additional permissions.
Why it's wrong here
The deny is sufficient to block the request.
✓
No, because the policy denies the request.
Why this is correct
The policy explicitly denies PutObject without AES256 encryption.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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 SAP-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — This question tests Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: No, because the policy denies the request. — Option B is correct because the policy denies PutObject if encryption is not AES256. Since no encryption header is specified, the condition matches (StringNotEquals is true because the header is absent), so the request is denied. Option A is wrong because even though bucket default encryption might apply, the policy evaluation happens before the default encryption is applied. Options C and D are incorrect.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 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 SAP-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
About these practice questions
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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 applies the above IAM policy to an IAM user. The user attempts to upload an object to my-bucket using the AWS CLI with the command: aws s3 cp file.txt s3://my-bucket/. What is the outcome?
medium
A.The upload fails with an access denied error because the Deny statement is evaluated first.
✓ B.The upload fails with an access denied error because the Deny statement with StringNotEquals blocks the request.
C.The upload succeeds because the Allow statement matches.
D.The upload succeeds because the Deny statement does not apply when no encryption header is present.
Why B: Option C is correct because the Deny statement with StringNotEquals will block any PutObject that does not specify SSE-S3 (AES256). Since the CLI command does not specify encryption, the Deny applies. Option A is wrong because the Allow statement requires encryption. Option B is wrong because the object is not encrypted. Option D is wrong because it would be denied.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
Question Discussion
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This SAP-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 SAP-C02 exam.
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