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Question 173 of 1,748
Management and Security Governance →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

How an IAM Policy Can Enforce AES256 Encryption and Deny SSE-KMS

This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of management and security governance. 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.

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Action": "s3:PutObject",
      "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::my-bucket/*",
      "Condition": {
        "StringEquals": {
          "s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption": "AES256"
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "Effect": "Deny",
      "Action": "s3:PutObject",
      "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::my-bucket/*",
      "Condition": {
        "StringNotEquals": {
          "s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption": "AES256"
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}

Refer to the exhibit. An IAM policy is attached to a user. The user attempts to upload an object to my-bucket using server-side encryption with AWS KMS (SSE-KMS). What is the outcome?

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Action": "s3:PutObject",
      "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::my-bucket/*",
      "Condition": {
        "StringEquals": {
          "s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption": "AES256"
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "Effect": "Deny",
      "Action": "s3:PutObject",
      "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::my-bucket/*",
      "Condition": {
        "StringNotEquals": {
          "s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption": "AES256"
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}

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 upload fails because the Deny statement denies any PutObject that does not use AES256 encryption.

The correct answer is A. The policy includes a Deny statement that denies s3:PutObject unless encryption is AES256, as indicated by the condition 's3:x-amz-server-side-encryption' not equal to 'AES256'. Since SSE-KMS uses a different encryption header (aws:kms), it does not satisfy the condition, so the Deny applies and the upload fails. The Allow statement only permits PutObject when encryption is AES256, but the Deny overrides any allow because it is explicit. Options B, C, and D are incorrect because the Deny explicitly blocks non-AES256 encryption, making the failure inevitable regardless of the Allow statement.

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 upload fails because the Deny statement denies any PutObject that does not use AES256 encryption.

    Why this is correct

    The Deny statement explicitly denies when encryption is not AES256.

    Related concept

    Standard ACLs match source addresses.

  • ✗

    The upload fails because the Allow statement requires AES256 encryption.

    Why it's wrong here

    The Allow statement does not deny; it just doesn't grant permission. An explicit Deny also applies.

  • ✗

    The upload succeeds because the policy does not explicitly deny SSE-KMS.

    Why it's wrong here

    The Deny statement denies any PutObject that is not AES256.

  • ✗

    The upload succeeds because the Allow statement matches the s3:PutObject action.

    Why it's wrong here

    The Allow only matches if encryption is AES256, which it is not.

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.

Visual reference

Source Router + ACL permit 10.0.0.0/8 deny any Server 10.0.0.5 ✓ 192.168.1.1 ✗ dropped ACLs evaluate top-down; first match wins — implicit deny all at end

Quick reference

AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison

Storage ClassMin DurationRetrievalUse Case
S3 StandardNoneImmediateFrequently accessed data
S3 Standard-IA30 daysImmediateInfrequent access, rapid retrieval
S3 One Zone-IA30 daysImmediateNon-critical infrequent data
S3 Intelligent-TieringNoneImmediate–hoursUnknown or changing access patterns
S3 Glacier Instant90 daysMillisecondsArchive with instant retrieval
S3 Glacier Flexible90 daysMinutes–hoursArchive, flexible retrieval
S3 Glacier Deep Archive180 daysHoursLong-term compliance archive

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?

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: The upload fails because the Deny statement denies any PutObject that does not use AES256 encryption. — The correct answer is A. The policy includes a Deny statement that denies s3:PutObject unless encryption is AES256, as indicated by the condition 's3:x-amz-server-side-encryption' not equal to 'AES256'. Since SSE-KMS uses a different encryption header (aws:kms), it does not satisfy the condition, so the Deny applies and the upload fails. The Allow statement only permits PutObject when encryption is AES256, but the Deny overrides any allow because it is explicit. Options B, C, and D are incorrect because the Deny explicitly blocks non-AES256 encryption, making the failure inevitable regardless of the Allow statement.

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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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.