This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of infrastructure security. 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 uses AWS Organizations with multiple accounts. The security team needs to enforce that all Amazon S3 buckets across the organization are configured to block public access. Which solution should be used to centrally enforce this requirement?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use a service control policy (SCP) to deny the s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock action at the organization root.
Option B is correct because SCPs can be applied at the OU or account level to deny actions that allow public access to S3 buckets. Option A is wrong because IAM roles are for permissions within an account, not for cross-account enforcement. Option C is wrong because bucket policies are per-bucket and cannot be centrally enforced. Option D is wrong because Trusted Advisor provides recommendations but does not enforce policies.
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.
✗
Enable AWS Trusted Advisor to automatically remediate public buckets.
Why it's wrong here
Trusted Advisor provides checks but not automatic enforcement.
✓
Use a service control policy (SCP) to deny the s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock action at the organization root.
Why this is correct
SCPs can centrally deny actions across accounts.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
Create an IAM role in each account that denies the s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock action.
Why it's wrong here
IAM roles cannot be applied across accounts centrally.
✗
Apply a bucket policy to each bucket that blocks public access.
Why it's wrong here
Bucket policies are per-bucket and require manual application.
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.
Infrastructure Security — This question tests Infrastructure Security — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a service control policy (SCP) to deny the s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock action at the organization root. — Option B is correct because SCPs can be applied at the OU or account level to deny actions that allow public access to S3 buckets. Option A is wrong because IAM roles are for permissions within an account, not for cross-account enforcement. Option C is wrong because bucket policies are per-bucket and cannot be centrally enforced. Option D is wrong because Trusted Advisor provides recommendations but does not enforce policies.
What should I do if I get this SCS-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 SCS-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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