Quick Answer
The answer is Effect: Allow, s3:ListBucket, and s3:GetObject. These three actions are required for a read-only S3 bucket policy because they enforce the principle of least privilege: s3:ListBucket grants permission to view the bucket’s object listing (applied to the bucket ARN), while s3:GetObject allows retrieval of individual objects (applied to the object ARN with a wildcard). On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between read and write S3 actions, often appearing in scenario-based questions where a security engineer must craft a policy that prevents accidental data exposure. A common trap is including s3:PutObject or s3:DeleteObject, which are write actions and would violate read-only intent. Remember the mnemonic “List to see, Get to read” — ListBucket for the bucket, GetObject for the objects, and never allow Put or Delete.
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 security engineer needs to grant a user read-only access to an S3 bucket. Which THREE of the following are required in the IAM policy?
Action: s3:ListBucket
Correct: Allows listing objects.
Action: s3:GetObject
Correct: Allows reading objects.
Action: s3:PutObject
Why wrong: Incorrect: Write access not needed.
Effect: Allow
Correct: Required for granting permissions.
Action: s3:DeleteObject
Why wrong: Incorrect: Delete not needed.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Action: s3:ListBucket
Options A, B, and D are correct. To grant read-only access, the policy must allow s3:ListBucket on the bucket resource and s3:GetObject on the object resources. Option C is wrong because s3:PutObject is write access. Option E is wrong because s3:DeleteObject is not needed for read-only.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Action: s3:ListBucket
Why this is correct
Correct: Allows listing objects.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Action: s3:GetObject
Why this is correct
Correct: Allows reading objects.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Action: s3:PutObject
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Write access not needed.
Effect: Allow
Why this is correct
Correct: Required for granting permissions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Action: s3:DeleteObject
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Delete not needed.
Common exam traps
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
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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.
Management and Security Governance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Management and Security Governance — This question tests Management and Security Governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Action: s3:ListBucket — Options A, B, and D are correct. To grant read-only access, the policy must allow s3:ListBucket on the bucket resource and s3:GetObject on the object resources. Option C is wrong because s3:PutObject is write access. Option E is wrong because s3:DeleteObject is not needed for read-only.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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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