SCS-C03 Security Foundations and Governance Practice Question
Exhibit
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Sid": "DenyUnencryptedTraffic",
"Effect": "Deny",
"Action": "s3:PutObject",
"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::my-bucket/*",
"Condition": {
"StringNotEquals": {
"s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption": "aws:kms"
}
}
}
]
}Refer to the exhibit. An administrator applied this policy to a bucket, but users are still able to upload unencrypted objects. Why is this occurring?
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 condition only checks the header if it exists in the request.
The policy uses the 's3:x-amz-server-side-encryption' condition key, which is only present if the client specifically sends that header. If a user performs a standard 'PutObject' without the encryption header, the request does not match the condition, and the 'Deny' effect is not triggered. To fix this, the policy must explicitly deny requests where the header is absent, ensuring that all uploads are forced to include mandatory encryption headers.
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 lacks a wildcard in the resource ARN.
Why it's wrong here
The resource ARN correctly includes '/*' to match all objects within the bucket. The issue is not the scope of the resource but rather the logic of the condition check, which only evaluates the header if it happens to be provided in the request.
- ✓
The condition only checks the header if it exists in the request.
Why this is correct
In AWS IAM policy logic, if a header is missing from the request, the 'StringNotEquals' condition does not evaluate to true, so the 'Deny' effect is not applied. The request proceeds as if the condition were not there, allowing unencrypted uploads to bypass the security check.
- ✗
The 'Effect' should be changed to 'Allow'.
Why it's wrong here
Changing the effect to 'Allow' would not enforce encryption; it would simply permit the action. An 'Allow' statement does not provide the restriction required to block non-compliant traffic, as 'Deny' statements are required for robust security guardrails that override any conflicting 'Allow' permissions.
- ✗
The policy needs an 'Action' of 's3:PutObjectTagging'.
Why it's wrong here
Adding tagging permissions does not influence encryption behavior. The 'PutObject' action is the correct focus for controlling object uploads, but the current condition logic is the failure point, as it assumes the header is always present, which is not guaranteed for every incoming S3 request.
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 |
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Amazon Web Services exam blueprint
This SCS-C03 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 SCS-C03 exam.