PAS-C01 Technology Practice Question
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
```json
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"s3:GetObject",
"s3:PutObject",
"s3:DeleteObject"
],
"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::sap-backup-bucket/*",
"Condition": {
"StringEquals": {
"aws:SourceVpce": "vpce-0abcdef1234567890"
}
}
},
{
"Effect": "Deny",
"Action": "s3:*",
"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::sap-backup-bucket/*",
"Condition": {
"BoolIfExists": {
"aws:SecureTransport": "false"
}
}
}
]
}
```An SAP administrator created the IAM policy shown above to control access to an S3 bucket used for SAP HANA backups. The policy is attached to an IAM role used by an EC2 instance. The instance fails to upload backups. What is the cause?
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 'aws:SecureTransport' condition in the Deny statement is incorrectly using 'BoolIfExists' instead of 'Bool'.
The policy uses 'BoolIfExists' for the 'aws:SecureTransport' condition in the Deny statement. 'BoolIfExists' evaluates the condition as true if the condition key exists and matches the specified value, OR if the key does not exist at all. This can cause unintended denials when the 'aws:SecureTransport' key is absent from the request context (e.g., certain internal AWS service calls). Using 'Bool' instead ensures the condition is evaluated only when the key is present, preventing false denials. This mismatch between the intended behavior (deny only when explicitly false) and the actual behavior (deny also when key is missing) is the root cause of the backup upload failure.
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 policy does not allow encryption (SSE-S3) which is required for backups.
Why it's wrong here
The policy does not require encryption; it only denies non-HTTPS requests.
- ✓
The 'aws:SecureTransport' condition in the Deny statement is incorrectly using 'BoolIfExists' instead of 'Bool'.
Why this is correct
Using 'BoolIfExists' will deny requests even if the key is absent, which may deny legitimate HTTPS requests if the condition is mis-evaluated. 'Bool' should be used to explicitly check for false.
- ✗
The VPC endpoint ID in the policy does not match the actual endpoint.
Why it's wrong here
The policy uses a condition on SourceVpce, but the EC2 instance is not using a VPC endpoint; it's using a gateway endpoint or internet. The condition would not be met.
- ✗
The Deny statement overrides the Allow statement for all actions.
Why it's wrong here
The Deny applies only when SecureTransport is false. Allow applies to specific actions. They are not conflicting.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
Go deeper
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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