- A
The SCP does not apply to the management account of the organization.
SCPs are not effective for the management account, so actions from that account are not restricted.
- B
The SCP uses the wrong condition key; it should use s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption instead.
Why wrong: The condition key is correct for the encryption header.
- C
The SCP was not attached to the production account's OU.
Why wrong: The stem says attached to the root OU, which should apply to all accounts, but possibly the production account is in a different OU that does not inherit? However, root OU applies to all accounts in the organization, unless there is a deny override. But the question says the SCPs are attached to the root OU and are in effect. So the most likely is management account exception.
- D
The developer used an IAM role that bypasses SCPs.
Why wrong: SCPs apply to all IAM principals, including roles.
Quick Answer
The answer is that the production account is the management account of the AWS Organization. Service control policies (SCPs) are a powerful tool to enforce S3 bucket encryption across an organization, but they explicitly do not apply to the management account—only to member accounts. This means any IAM principal in the management account, including the developer’s role, can bypass SCP restrictions entirely, allowing an unencrypted upload via the AWS CLI even when the SCP denies `s3:PutObject` without the `x-amz-server-side-encryption: aws:kms` header. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this is a classic trap: candidates often assume SCPs govern all accounts, but the management account is a deliberate exception. To remember, think “SCPs stop members, not the master”—the management account is the root of the organization tree and cannot be constrained by its own policies.
SCS-C02 Infrastructure Security Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of infrastructure security. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 has a multi-account AWS environment using AWS Organizations. The security team needs to ensure that all Amazon S3 buckets across all accounts are encrypted with AWS KMS customer managed keys (CMKs). They have implemented a service control policy (SCP) that denies s3:PutObject unless the request includes the x-amz-server-side-encryption header with value aws:kms. Additionally, they have an SCP that denies s3:CreateBucket unless the bucket is configured with default encryption using KMS. Despite these policies, a developer in the production account reports that they were able to upload a sensitive object to an existing bucket without encryption. The developer used the AWS CLI with the command: aws s3 cp sensitive.txt s3://my-bucket/. The bucket does not have default encryption enabled. The SCPs are attached to the root organizational unit (OU) and are in effect. What is the MOST likely reason the upload succeeded?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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
The SCP does not apply to the management account of the organization.
The SCP denies PutObject without the encryption header, but the command did not specify the header. However, SCPs do not affect the root user? No, root user is not used here. The developer used an IAM role. SCPs apply to all IAM principals. The issue might be that the SCP uses a condition key that is not evaluated properly? Another common issue: SCPs cannot deny actions that are performed by the AWS service itself? No. The most likely reason is that the SCP was not applied to the production account because it was attached to the root OU, but the production account might be in a different OU that does not inherit the SCP? Or the SCP might have been disabled? Or the developer might be using an IAM role that has a service-linked role? Actually, a known limitation: SCPs do not affect the management account. If the production account is the management account, SCPs do not apply. That is a classic gotcha. The question says "multi-account AWS environment using AWS Organizations" but does not specify that the production account is the management account. But it's plausible. Another possibility: The SCP denies s3:PutObject without the header, but the CLI command might automatically add the header if the bucket has default encryption? No, bucket does not have default encryption. The SCP should deny. So the most likely cause is that the production account is the management account of the organization, and SCPs do not apply to the management account.
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.
- ✓
The SCP does not apply to the management account of the organization.
Why this is correct
SCPs are not effective for the management account, so actions from that account are not restricted.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- ✗
The SCP uses the wrong condition key; it should use s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption instead.
Why it's wrong here
The condition key is correct for the encryption header.
- ✗
The SCP was not attached to the production account's OU.
Why it's wrong here
The stem says attached to the root OU, which should apply to all accounts, but possibly the production account is in a different OU that does not inherit? However, root OU applies to all accounts in the organization, unless there is a deny override. But the question says the SCPs are attached to the root OU and are in effect. So the most likely is management account exception.
- ✗
The developer used an IAM role that bypasses SCPs.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs apply to all IAM principals, including roles.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Infrastructure Security — This question tests Infrastructure Security — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The SCP does not apply to the management account of the organization. — The SCP denies PutObject without the encryption header, but the command did not specify the header. However, SCPs do not affect the root user? No, root user is not used here. The developer used an IAM role. SCPs apply to all IAM principals. The issue might be that the SCP uses a condition key that is not evaluated properly? Another common issue: SCPs cannot deny actions that are performed by the AWS service itself? No. The most likely reason is that the SCP was not applied to the production account because it was attached to the root OU, but the production account might be in a different OU that does not inherit the SCP? Or the SCP might have been disabled? Or the developer might be using an IAM role that has a service-linked role? Actually, a known limitation: SCPs do not affect the management account. If the production account is the management account, SCPs do not apply. That is a classic gotcha. The question says "multi-account AWS environment using AWS Organizations" but does not specify that the production account is the management account. But it's plausible. Another possibility: The SCP denies s3:PutObject without the header, but the CLI command might automatically add the header if the bucket has default encryption? No, bucket does not have default encryption. The SCP should deny. So the most likely cause is that the production account is the management account of the organization, and SCPs do not apply to the management account.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Same concept, more angles
1 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 has a multi-account AWS environment using AWS Organizations. The security team needs to enforce that all new S3 buckets created in any account in the organization are encrypted with a specific KMS key. Which approach should be used?
hard- A.Set up AWS Config rules to detect non-compliant buckets
- ✓ B.Apply a Service Control Policy (SCP) that denies s3:CreateBucket unless encryption is configured
- C.Create an IAM role that requires encryption and attach it to all users
- D.Use an S3 bucket policy with a condition for encryption
Why B: Option D is correct because an SCP can deny creation of S3 buckets that do not have the required encryption. Option A is wrong because IAM roles are for individual accounts, not organization-wide enforcement. Option B is wrong because a bucket policy is per bucket, not preventive for new buckets. Option C is wrong because AWS Config can detect non-compliance but does not prevent creation.
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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