SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new solutions. 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 company is designing a multi-account AWS environment using AWS Organizations. The security team requires that all Amazon S3 buckets across accounts must have server access logging enabled and must block public access. What is the MOST scalable and secure way to enforce these requirements?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Apply service control policies (SCPs) at the organizational unit (OU) level to deny actions that disable logging or enable public access
Option C is correct because SCPs can be applied at the OU level to deny actions that disable logging or allow public access, enforcing compliance across all accounts. Option A is incorrect because IAM roles in each account are not scalable for enforcement. Option B is incorrect because CloudFormation StackSets can deploy resources but cannot prevent non-compliant actions. Option D is incorrect because Config rules only detect non-compliance, not enforce.
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.
✗
Use AWS CloudFormation StackSets to deploy S3 buckets with logging and public access blocks
Why it's wrong here
CloudFormation does not prevent creation of non-compliant buckets outside the stack.
✓
Apply service control policies (SCPs) at the organizational unit (OU) level to deny actions that disable logging or enable public access
Why this is correct
SCPs centrally enforce restrictions across all accounts.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
Create IAM roles in each account with policies that require logging and block public access
Why it's wrong here
IAM roles cannot enforce settings on existing resources.
✗
Use AWS Config rules to detect non-compliant buckets and send notifications
Why it's wrong here
Config only detects, does not enforce.
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.
Design for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Apply service control policies (SCPs) at the organizational unit (OU) level to deny actions that disable logging or enable public access — Option C is correct because SCPs can be applied at the OU level to deny actions that disable logging or allow public access, enforcing compliance across all accounts. Option A is incorrect because IAM roles in each account are not scalable for enforcement. Option B is incorrect because CloudFormation StackSets can deploy resources but cannot prevent non-compliant actions. Option D is incorrect because Config rules only detect non-compliance, not enforce.
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.
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Question Discussion
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