The correct answer is to create a service control policy (SCP) that denies s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock for all accounts. This works because SCPs act as a centralized permission guardrail at the AWS Organizations level, allowing you to enforce S3 block public access across accounts by explicitly denying the API call that modifies those settings, regardless of what IAM or bucket policies allow. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this tests your understanding of preventive controls versus detective controls—SCPs are the only mechanism that can enforce a deny across an entire organization without relying on individual account configurations. A common trap is confusing SCPs with IAM policies; remember that IAM policies apply to principals, not accounts, and bucket policies are per-resource. Memory tip: think of SCPs as the "organizational kill switch"—they block the action before any other policy gets a say.
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 uses AWS Organizations to manage multiple accounts. The security team needs to enforce that all S3 buckets across the organization have block public access enabled. Which policy should be used?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create a service control policy (SCP) that denies s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock for all accounts.
Option A is correct because a service control policy (SCP) can be applied at the organizational level to deny actions that modify S3 public access settings. Option B is incorrect because IAM policies apply to users/roles, not accounts. Option C is incorrect because bucket policies are per-bucket, not organizational. Option D is incorrect because CloudFormation StackSets deploy resources, 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.
✗
Configure a bucket policy on each S3 bucket to deny public access.
Why it's wrong here
Requires manual configuration per bucket and does not prevent future non-compliant buckets.
✓
Create a service control policy (SCP) that denies s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock for all accounts.
Why this is correct
SCPs can deny actions across accounts in an organization.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
Apply an IAM policy to the root user of each account.
Why it's wrong here
IAM policies on root user are not enforced for other users/roles.
✗
Use AWS CloudFormation StackSets to deploy a bucket with public access blocked.
Why it's wrong here
Does not enforce existing or non-CloudFormation buckets.
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.
Management and Security Governance — This question tests Management and Security Governance — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a service control policy (SCP) that denies s3:PutBucketPublicAccessBlock for all accounts. — Option A is correct because a service control policy (SCP) can be applied at the organizational level to deny actions that modify S3 public access settings. Option B is incorrect because IAM policies apply to users/roles, not accounts. Option C is incorrect because bucket policies are per-bucket, not organizational. Option D is incorrect because CloudFormation StackSets deploy resources, 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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