The correct answer is the policy statement with `"Effect":"Allow","Action":"s3:ListBucket","Resource":"arn:aws:s3:::my-bucket"`. This works because the `s3:ListBucket` permission specifically controls the ability to list objects within a bucket, and by scoping the resource to the exact bucket ARN, you restrict the action to only that bucket without granting broader S3 access. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this tests your understanding of least privilege and the precise mapping between S3 actions and their effects—a common trap is confusing `s3:ListBucket` (which lists objects) with `s3:GetObject` (which retrieves them) or using a wildcard resource that accidentally opens all buckets. Remember that `ListBucket` targets the bucket resource itself, not individual objects, so the ARN must end with the bucket name and no trailing slash. A quick memory tip: think of "ListBucket" as the key to the bucket's front door—it lets you see what's inside, but not touch anything.
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 wants to allow an IAM user to list only the objects in a specific S3 bucket named 'my-bucket'. Which IAM policy statement should be used?
Option A is correct because it grants s3:ListBucket on the specific bucket without allowing other actions. Option B is wrong because it allows all S3 actions. Option C is wrong because it grants GetObject instead of ListBucket. Option D is wrong because it uses a condition that is not required for listing.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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.
Identify which SCS-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Identity and Access Management — This question tests Identity and Access Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: {"Effect":"Allow","Action":"s3:ListBucket","Resource":"arn:aws:s3:::my-bucket"} — Option A is correct because it grants s3:ListBucket on the specific bucket without allowing other actions. Option B is wrong because it allows all S3 actions. Option C is wrong because it grants GetObject instead of ListBucket. Option D is wrong because it uses a condition that is not required for listing.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SCS-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
Question Discussion
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