- A
Add a bucket policy in Account A allowing access to the user in Account B, and attach an IAM policy to the user in Account B allowing access to the bucket.
Why wrong: This is essentially the same as A but more specific; however, A is more general and correct.
- B
Create an IAM role in Account A with access to the bucket, and have the user in Account B assume that role.
Why wrong: This is another valid method, but the question specifically asks for user access, not role assumption.
- C
Add a bucket policy in Account A allowing access to Account B, and no action is needed in Account B because the user already has permissions.
Why wrong: The user in Account B needs explicit permissions to access the bucket.
- D
Add a bucket policy in Account A allowing access to Account B, and attach an IAM policy to the user in Account B allowing access to the bucket.
Both policies are required for cross-account access.
Quick Answer
The correct combination is a bucket policy in Account A that grants access to the specific IAM user in Account B, paired with an IAM policy attached to that user in Account B allowing access to the bucket. This dual-permission model is essential because S3 operates on a shared responsibility principle: the resource-based bucket policy controls who can reach the bucket from the outside, while the identity-based IAM policy authorizes the user to initiate the request. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding that cross-account S3 bucket policy and IAM user permissions must align—a common trap is assuming a bucket policy alone is sufficient, but without the IAM policy the user lacks the ability to act. Another frequent mistake is specifying only the account ID in the bucket policy instead of the full user ARN, which would open access to all principals in that account. Remember the memory tip: “Bucket says ‘come in,’ IAM says ‘you may enter’”—both doors must be unlocked.
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 cross-account access to an S3 bucket in Account A for a user in Account B. What is the correct combination of steps?
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
Add a bucket policy in Account A allowing access to Account B, and attach an IAM policy to the user in Account B allowing access to the bucket.
Option D is correct because cross-account access requires both a bucket policy allowing the user and an IAM user policy allowing access to the bucket. Option A is wrong because only the bucket policy is not sufficient; the user also needs permissions. Option B is wrong because the bucket policy needs to specify the user ARN, not just the account. Option C is wrong because a role needs to be assumed, but the question asks for user access.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Add a bucket policy in Account A allowing access to the user in Account B, and attach an IAM policy to the user in Account B allowing access to the bucket.
Why it's wrong here
This is essentially the same as A but more specific; however, A is more general and correct.
- ✗
Create an IAM role in Account A with access to the bucket, and have the user in Account B assume that role.
Why it's wrong here
This is another valid method, but the question specifically asks for user access, not role assumption.
- ✗
Add a bucket policy in Account A allowing access to Account B, and no action is needed in Account B because the user already has permissions.
Why it's wrong here
The user in Account B needs explicit permissions to access the bucket.
- ✓
Add a bucket policy in Account A allowing access to Account B, and attach an IAM policy to the user in Account B allowing access to the bucket.
Why this is correct
Both policies are required for cross-account access.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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 the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SCS-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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Identity and Access Management — study guide chapter
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Identity and Access Management practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Identity and Access Management — This question tests Identity and Access Management — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add a bucket policy in Account A allowing access to Account B, and attach an IAM policy to the user in Account B allowing access to the bucket. — Option D is correct because cross-account access requires both a bucket policy allowing the user and an IAM user policy allowing access to the bucket. Option A is wrong because only the bucket policy is not sufficient; the user also needs permissions. Option B is wrong because the bucket policy needs to specify the user ARN, not just the account. Option C is wrong because a role needs to be assumed, but the question asks for user access.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SCS-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on SCS-C02
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company needs to grant cross-account access to an S3 bucket in Account A to users in Account B. What is the recommended approach?
easy- A.Attach an IAM role to Account B's users.
- ✓ B.Add a bucket policy in Account A that grants access to the IAM user ARNs from Account B.
- C.Make the bucket public.
- D.Create an IAM user in Account A and share the credentials with Account B users.
Why B: Option B is correct because a bucket policy in Account A can explicitly grant cross-account access to IAM user ARNs from Account B. This is the recommended approach for granting access to an S3 bucket across AWS accounts, as it avoids managing additional IAM users or roles and leverages the resource-based policy directly on the bucket. The bucket policy must specify the `Principal` element with the AWS account ID of Account B and the `Action` and `Resource` for the S3 operations, allowing Account B's IAM users to access the bucket after they have appropriate permissions in their own account.
Variation 2. A company needs to grant cross-account access to an S3 bucket. Which IAM feature should be used?
easy- A.Create an IAM user in the source account and share the credentials.
- ✓ B.Use an S3 bucket policy that grants access to the external account's IAM users.
- C.Use a service control policy (SCP) to allow cross-account access.
- D.Use an IAM role in the source account that the external account can assume.
Why B: Option B is correct because a bucket policy can grant access to principals in another account. Option A is wrong because IAM users are within the same account. Option C is wrong because a role can be used but requires the external account to assume the role, not directly access the bucket. Option D is wrong because SCPs apply within an organization.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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.
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