The answer is to use AWS Config with the s3-bucket-public-read-prohibited managed rule and an automatic remediation action using AWS Systems Manager Automation. This solution is correct because the managed rule specifically evaluates both bucket ACLs and policies for public read access, closing the gap left by an SCP that only blocks PutBucketPublicAccessBlock. When the rule detects a noncompliant bucket, the automatic remediation triggers a Systems Manager Automation document—such as AWS-DisableS3BucketPublicReadWrite—to remove public ACLs or apply a denying bucket policy, providing event-driven, hands-off remediation. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that SCPs alone cannot prevent public access via ACLs, and that AWS Config’s managed rules paired with SSM Automation offer the complete, automated fix. A common trap is choosing a solution that only evaluates bucket policies, ignoring ACLs. Memory tip: “Config catches ACLs, SSM fixes them fast.”
SCS-C02 Management and Security Governance Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of management and security governance. 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 runs a multi-account AWS environment using AWS Organizations. The security team uses AWS Config to monitor compliance. Recently, they noticed that a developer in the 'development' account created an S3 bucket that is publicly accessible. The security team wants to prevent this in the future by automatically remediating any public S3 bucket. They have an SCP that denies s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock, but developers are still making buckets public by using bucket ACLs. The security team wants to implement a solution that automatically fixes any bucket that becomes public. Which solution should they choose?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use AWS Config with the s3-bucket-public-read-prohibited managed rule and an automatic remediation action using AWS Systems Manager Automation
Option B is correct because AWS Config's s3-bucket-public-read-prohibited managed rule evaluates S3 bucket ACLs and policies for public read access. When a noncompliant bucket is detected, an automatic remediation action using AWS Systems Manager Automation can invoke a custom SSM document (e.g., AWS-DisableS3BucketPublicReadWrite) to remove public ACLs or apply a bucket policy that denies public access. This provides automated, event-driven remediation without relying on manual intervention or incomplete SCPs.
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.
✗
Use CloudTrail to detect PutBucketAcl events and send to SNS for manual remediation
Why it's wrong here
Manual remediation is not automated.
✓
Use AWS Config with the s3-bucket-public-read-prohibited managed rule and an automatic remediation action using AWS Systems Manager Automation
Why this is correct
Detects and automatically fixes public buckets.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Update the SCP to deny s3:PutBucketAcl with a condition for public access
Why it's wrong here
SCPs cannot evaluate the content of ACLs.
✗
Attach an IAM policy to all users that denies s3:PutBucketAcl
Why it's wrong here
Does not remediate existing buckets.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume an SCP or IAM policy that denies the specific API call (s3:PutBucketAcl) is the best solution, but the question requires automatic remediation of already-public buckets, not prevention—and SCPs cannot remediate existing noncompliant resources, only block future actions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Config remediation actions use SSM Automation documents that can run custom scripts or AWS API calls to fix noncompliant resources. For S3 bucket public access, the AWS-DisableS3BucketPublicReadWrite document modifies the bucket's ACL by removing the AllUsers and AuthenticatedUsers groups, and can also attach a bucket policy that explicitly denies public access. A subtle behavior is that AWS Config evaluates bucket ACLs and bucket policies separately; the s3-bucket-public-read-prohibited rule checks both, but remediation must handle the case where public access is granted via ACLs (which are not blocked by s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock). In a real-world scenario, this approach ensures that even if a developer accidentally sets a public ACL, the bucket is automatically locked down within minutes, maintaining compliance without manual intervention.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Management and Security Governance — This question tests Management and Security Governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use AWS Config with the s3-bucket-public-read-prohibited managed rule and an automatic remediation action using AWS Systems Manager Automation — Option B is correct because AWS Config's s3-bucket-public-read-prohibited managed rule evaluates S3 bucket ACLs and policies for public read access. When a noncompliant bucket is detected, an automatic remediation action using AWS Systems Manager Automation can invoke a custom SSM document (e.g., AWS-DisableS3BucketPublicReadWrite) to remove public ACLs or apply a bucket policy that denies public access. This provides automated, event-driven remediation without relying on manual intervention or incomplete SCPs.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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