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Question 1,655 of 1,738

Data Protection →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is that the bucket policy is missing an explicit Allow statement for HTTPS requests, causing all requests to be implicitly denied by default, which paradoxically allowed HTTP access if the policy was misapplied or not fully evaluated. This occurs because an S3 bucket policy with only a Deny effect for HTTP does not override the default implicit deny—AWS evaluates policies by first checking explicit Denies, then Allows, and if no Allow exists, the request is denied. However, in this S3 bucket policy HTTPS enforcement issue, the Deny condition on `aws:SecureTransport` being false should block HTTP, but if the policy was malformed or not attached correctly, the default behavior (allow if the user has IAM permissions) could permit HTTP access. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this tests your understanding that bucket policies require both an explicit Allow for HTTPS and a Deny for HTTP to enforce transport security; a common trap is assuming a single Deny statement suffices. Memory tip: “Deny without Allow is a hollow vow—always pair your HTTPS Allow with an HTTP Deny.”

SCS-C02 Data Protection Practice Question

This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of data protection. 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 using Amazon S3 to store sensitive documents. The security team has implemented a bucket policy that denies access unless the request uses HTTPS. However, a security audit reveals that some objects were accessed over HTTP. The bucket policy is as follows: {"Effect":"Deny","Principal":"*","Action":"s3:*","Resource":"arn:aws:s3:::example-bucket/*","Condition":{"Bool":{"aws:SecureTransport":"false"}}}. The team also enabled S3 Block Public Access at the account level. What is the MOST likely reason that HTTP access was still possible?

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.

Question 1mediummultiple choice

Full question →

A
S3 Block Public Access only blocks public access, not all HTTP access.
Why wrong: Block Public Access blocks public access, but the bucket policy should deny all HTTP access regardless of public/private.
B
The requests were made through an S3 Access Point that has its own policy allowing HTTP.
Why wrong: Access Points have their own policies, but the bucket policy still applies unless overridden.
C
The requests were made using pre-signed URLs that bypass bucket policies.
Why wrong: Pre-signed URLs do not bypass bucket policies; they are subject to the same policies.
D
The bucket policy does not include an explicit Allow for HTTPS requests; it only Denies HTTP. Without an Allow, all requests are denied by default, but the Deny might not be evaluated if the policy is malformed.
The policy denies HTTP, but if there is no explicit allow for HTTPS, then HTTPS requests are also denied by default. However, the fact that HTTP succeeded suggests the policy is not being evaluated, possibly because the bucket policy is not attached or there is an explicit allow elsewhere.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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 bucket policy does not include an explicit Allow for HTTPS requests; it only Denies HTTP. Without an Allow, all requests are denied by default, but the Deny might not be evaluated if the policy is malformed.

Option B is correct. The bucket policy denies access when aws:SecureTransport is false, but if the bucket policy does not explicitly allow or deny access, the default is to allow (if the user has IAM permissions). However, the policy as written should deny HTTP requests. The most likely issue is that the policy is missing a separate Allow statement to allow HTTPS access; otherwise, all requests are denied by default. But the question says HTTP access succeeded. Another possibility is that the policy was not applied correctly. Option A is wrong because Block Public Access affects public access, not all HTTP access. Option C is wrong because pre-signed URLs can use HTTP, but the policy should still deny them. Option D is wrong because S3 Access Points can bypass bucket policies if not configured.

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.

✗
S3 Block Public Access only blocks public access, not all HTTP access.
Why it's wrong here
Block Public Access blocks public access, but the bucket policy should deny all HTTP access regardless of public/private.
✗
The requests were made through an S3 Access Point that has its own policy allowing HTTP.
Why it's wrong here
Access Points have their own policies, but the bucket policy still applies unless overridden.
✗
The requests were made using pre-signed URLs that bypass bucket policies.
Why it's wrong here
Pre-signed URLs do not bypass bucket policies; they are subject to the same policies.
✓
The bucket policy does not include an explicit Allow for HTTPS requests; it only Denies HTTP. Without an Allow, all requests are denied by default, but the Deny might not be evaluated if the policy is malformed.
Why this is correct
The policy denies HTTP, but if there is no explicit allow for HTTPS, then HTTPS requests are also denied by default. However, the fact that HTTP succeeded suggests the policy is not being evaluated, possibly because the bucket policy is not attached or there is an explicit allow elsewhere.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.

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 SCS-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this SCS-C02 question test?

Data Protection — This question tests Data Protection — Standard ACLs match source addresses..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The bucket policy does not include an explicit Allow for HTTPS requests; it only Denies HTTP. Without an Allow, all requests are denied by default, but the Deny might not be evaluated if the policy is malformed. — Option B is correct. The bucket policy denies access when aws:SecureTransport is false, but if the bucket policy does not explicitly allow or deny access, the default is to allow (if the user has IAM permissions). However, the policy as written should deny HTTP requests. The most likely issue is that the policy is missing a separate Allow statement to allow HTTPS access; otherwise, all requests are denied by default. But the question says HTTP access succeeded. Another possibility is that the policy was not applied correctly. Option A is wrong because Block Public Access affects public access, not all HTTP access. Option C is wrong because pre-signed URLs can use HTTP, but the policy should still deny them. Option D is wrong because S3 Access Points can bypass bucket policies if not configured.

What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?

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?

Standard ACLs match source addresses.

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This SCS-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 SCS-C02 exam.