SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": "s3:GetObject",
"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::my-bucket/*",
"Condition": {
"StringEquals": {
"s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption": "AES256"
}
}
}
]
}A company has an IAM policy attached to a user. The user is trying to download an object from the S3 bucket 'my-bucket' that was uploaded with SSE-S3 encryption. What will happen?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse SSE-S3 with SSE-KMS and assume that any server-side encryption requires additional IAM conditions or KMS permissions, but SSE-S3 is fully transparent to the user and does not impose any such requirements.
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
✓
The user will be allowed to download the object.
SSE-S3 uses AES-256 encryption managed by Amazon S3, and the encryption/decryption process is transparent to the user. When a user has the s3:GetObject permission in their IAM policy, they can download the object regardless of SSE-S3 encryption, as S3 automatically decrypts the object upon retrieval. The IAM policy does not require any additional conditions for SSE-S3, so the user is allowed to download the object.
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 user will be allowed only if the object was uploaded with SSE-KMS.
Why it's wrong here
The condition checks for AES256, not KMS.
- ✗
The user will be denied access because the condition is not met.
Why it's wrong here
The condition is met because the object uses SSE-S3.
- ✓
The user will be allowed to download the object.
Why this is correct
The condition requires SSE-S3 (AES256), which matches the object's encryption.
- ✗
The user will be denied because SSE-S3 is not AES256.
Why it's wrong here
SSE-S3 uses AES256.
Quick reference
Symmetric Encryption Algorithm Comparison
| Algorithm | Key Size | Block Size | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AES-128 | 128-bit | 128-bit | Current standard | NIST approved; WPA3, TLS |
| AES-256 | 256-bit | 128-bit | Current standard | Preferred for sensitive / govt data |
| 3DES | 112-bit effective | 64-bit | Deprecated (2023) | Replaced by AES |
| DES | 56-bit | 64-bit | Broken | Cracked in < 24 h; never deploy |
| ChaCha20 | 256-bit | Stream cipher | Current | TLS 1.3, WireGuard |
Go deeper
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.