Why an IAM User Cannot List S3 Objects from Home Office IP
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.
An IAM policy is attached to a user. The user reports that they cannot list objects in the bucket 'example-bucket' from their home office IP address 203.0.113.50. What is the most likely cause?
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 the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The IP address condition restricts access to the 10.0.0.0/24 range.
Option D is correct. The IAM policy likely includes a condition that restricts access to requests originating from the 10.0.0.0/24 IP range (a private IP range). Since the user's home office IP is 203.0.113.50 (a public IP), the condition fails and access is denied. Option A is incorrect because IAM policies are deny by default only when no explicit Allow exists; in this case, an Allow statement is present. Option B is incorrect because while using the wrong resource ARN (with /*) prevents bucket-level actions, the most likely cause given the specific IP mismatch is the condition. Option C is incorrect because the policy allows s3:* actions, which includes s3:ListBucket.
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 policy effect is Deny by default.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: The effect is Allow.
✗
The resource ARN should be arn:aws:s3:::example-bucket without the /*.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: The resource is for objects, but the IP condition is the primary issue.
✗
The policy does not allow the s3:ListBucket action.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: s3:* includes ListBucket.
✓
The IP address condition restricts access to the 10.0.0.0/24 range.
Why this is correct
Correct: The condition only allows requests from the specified IP range.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
Storage Class
Min Duration
Retrieval
Use Case
S3 Standard
None
Immediate
Frequently accessed data
S3 Standard-IA
30 days
Immediate
Infrequent access, rapid retrieval
S3 One Zone-IA
30 days
Immediate
Non-critical infrequent data
S3 Intelligent-Tiering
None
Immediate–hours
Unknown or changing access patterns
S3 Glacier Instant
90 days
Milliseconds
Archive with instant retrieval
S3 Glacier Flexible
90 days
Minutes–hours
Archive, flexible retrieval
S3 Glacier Deep Archive
180 days
Hours
Long-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.
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 IP address condition restricts access to the 10.0.0.0/24 range. — Option D is correct. The IAM policy likely includes a condition that restricts access to requests originating from the 10.0.0.0/24 IP range (a private IP range). Since the user's home office IP is 203.0.113.50 (a public IP), the condition fails and access is denied. Option A is incorrect because IAM policies are deny by default only when no explicit Allow exists; in this case, an Allow statement is present. Option B is incorrect because while using the wrong resource ARN (with /*) prevents bucket-level actions, the most likely cause given the specific IP mismatch is the condition. Option C is incorrect because the policy allows s3:* actions, which includes s3:ListBucket.
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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