SCS-C02 Identity and Access Management Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of identity and access management. 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 has a requirement to grant cross-account access to an S3 bucket named 'shared-data' in Account A (111111111111) to users in Account B (222222222222). The security team has set up a bucket policy in Account A that grants read-only access to the IAM role 'DataReader' in Account B. The bucket policy is as follows: {"Version":"2012-10-17","Statement":[{"Effect":"Allow","Principal":{"AWS":"arn:aws:iam::222222222222:role/DataReader"},"Action":["s3:GetObject"],"Resource":"arn:aws:s3:::shared-data/*"}]}. A user in Account B assumes the 'DataReader' role, but when trying to read an object from the bucket, they receive an 'Access Denied' error. What is the MOST likely reason for this error?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The IAM role 'DataReader' does not have an IAM policy that allows s3:GetObject on the bucket.
Option D is correct. For cross-account access, the IAM role in Account B must have an IAM policy that allows the action (s3:GetObject) on the target bucket. Even if the bucket policy grants access, the role itself must also allow the action. Option A is wrong because the bucket policy uses the correct principal format. Option B is wrong because S3 does not require KMS for access unless encryption is involved. Option C is wrong because the bucket policy allows all principals in the role, not just specific users.
Key principle: OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
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 bucket policy principal must be the IAM user ARN, not the role ARN.
Why it's wrong here
A role ARN is a valid principal for a bucket policy.
✗
The bucket policy is missing the 's3:ListBucket' action, which is required to read objects.
Why it's wrong here
s3:GetObject does not require ListBucket; the error is Access Denied, not NoSuchKey.
✓
The IAM role 'DataReader' does not have an IAM policy that allows s3:GetObject on the bucket.
Why this is correct
The role needs both a trust policy and an IAM policy granting the action; the IAM policy is missing.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
The bucket objects are encrypted with a KMS key, and the role does not have permission to decrypt.
Why it's wrong here
The question does not mention encryption; it is not the most likely cause.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: OSPF can fail even when IP connectivity looks correct
OSPF neighbour formation depends on matching areas, timers, network type, authentication and passive-interface behaviour. Do not choose an answer only because the devices can ping.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
OSPF questions usually test the details that control adjacency and route selection. Read the neighbour state, area, router ID and interface configuration before deciding what is wrong.
KKey Concepts to Remember
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
Router ID selection can affect neighbour relationships and LSDB output.
OSPF cost influences the preferred path.
A route can appear in OSPF information but not become the installed route.
TExam Day Tips
→Check area mismatch first when OSPF adjacency fails.
→Review passive interfaces when a network is advertised but no neighbour forms.
→Use show ip ospf neighbor and show ip route clues carefully.
Key takeaway
OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
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 OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related SCS-C02 OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
Identity and Access Management — This question tests Identity and Access Management — OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The IAM role 'DataReader' does not have an IAM policy that allows s3:GetObject on the bucket. — Option D is correct. For cross-account access, the IAM role in Account B must have an IAM policy that allows the action (s3:GetObject) on the target bucket. Even if the bucket policy grants access, the role itself must also allow the action. Option A is wrong because the bucket policy uses the correct principal format. Option B is wrong because S3 does not require KMS for access unless encryption is involved. Option C is wrong because the bucket policy allows all principals in the role, not just specific users.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related SCS-C02 OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
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