The correct answer is that the upload fails because the bucket policy denies requests that are not using HTTPS. This outcome occurs because the policy includes a condition that checks whether `aws:SecureTransport` is false; when the engineer uses the AWS CLI without the `--ssl` flag, the request is sent over HTTP, triggering the deny statement for all S3 actions. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your ability to interpret bucket policy conditions that enforce HTTPS for S3 bucket access, a common security control for data in transit. A frequent trap is assuming that default encryption settings or specific action restrictions apply, but the policy here explicitly denies every action when SecureTransport is false, regardless of encryption at rest. Remember the mnemonic “SecureTransport stops HTTP” — if the condition checks for false, any plain HTTP request is blocked, making encryption in transit non-negotiable.
SCS-C02 Data Protection Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of data protection. 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.
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. A security engineer reviews the bucket policy for an S3 bucket. The engineer attempts to upload an object to the bucket using the AWS CLI without the --ssl flag (HTTP). What is the outcome?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The upload fails because the policy denies requests that are not using HTTPS.
Option C is correct because the bucket policy denies all s3 actions if the request is not using HTTPS (SecureTransport is false). Since the engineer uses HTTP (no SSL), the condition matches and the upload is denied. Option A is wrong because the bucket does not have a default encryption setting. Option B is wrong because the policy denies all actions, not just put. Option D is wrong because the policy denies, not allows.
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.
✗
The upload succeeds because the policy allows all actions.
Why it's wrong here
Policy is a Deny, not Allow.
✓
The upload fails because the policy denies requests that are not using HTTPS.
Why this is correct
Condition denies if SecureTransport is false (HTTP).
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The upload succeeds because the bucket has default encryption enabled.
Why it's wrong here
No mention of default encryption; policy denies.
✗
The upload fails because the policy denies s3:PutObject only.
Why it's wrong here
Policy denies s3:* for all actions.
Common exam traps
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.
Data Protection — This question tests Data Protection — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The upload fails because the policy denies requests that are not using HTTPS. — Option C is correct because the bucket policy denies all s3 actions if the request is not using HTTPS (SecureTransport is false). Since the engineer uses HTTP (no SSL), the condition matches and the upload is denied. Option A is wrong because the bucket does not have a default encryption setting. Option B is wrong because the policy denies all actions, not just put. Option D is wrong because the policy denies, not allows.
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.
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 →
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 ensure that data in transit between an on-premises data center and Amazon S3 is encrypted. The data will be transferred using HTTPS. What additional step should be taken to ensure the encryption is enforced?
easy
A.Use AWS KMS to require encryption in transit
B.Enable S3 Transfer Acceleration
✓ C.Add a bucket policy that denies requests where aws:SecureTransport is false
D.Use Amazon CloudFront with HTTPS only
Why C: Option A is correct because an S3 bucket policy with a condition that denies requests not using aws:SecureTransport ensures HTTPS is enforced. Option B is wrong because CloudFront enforces HTTPS but does not replace bucket policy enforcement. Option C is wrong because AWS KMS does not enforce HTTPS. Option D is wrong because S3 Transfer Acceleration speeds up transfers but does not enforce encryption.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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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.
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