The answer is D: the resource ARN in the policy is for EC2, not for S3. This is the most likely reason because an S3 bucket policy must use an S3 resource ARN (arn:aws:s3:::bucket-name) to apply conditions like aws:SourceVpce; an EC2 resource ARN (arn:aws:ec2:...) makes the policy syntactically invalid for S3 access, so the condition never evaluates correctly. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this tests your ability to spot malformed policies disguised as VPC endpoint troubleshooting—a common trap where candidates fixate on gateway vs. interface endpoint mechanics (which also matter) but overlook the blatant ARN mismatch. Remember: for S3 bucket policies, the resource ARN must always start with arn:aws:s3, not ec2. A quick memory tip: "S3 policy, S3 ARN—if it says EC2, it's wrong from the start."
SCS-C02 Threat Detection and Incident Response Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of threat detection and incident response. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
Resource: "arn:aws:ec2:us-east-1:123456789012:instance/*"
Condition: {
"StringEquals": {
"aws:SourceVpce": "vpce-0a1b2c3d4e5f67890"
}
}
The above condition is added to an S3 bucket policy to restrict access to a specific VPC endpoint. An EC2 instance in the same VPC is unable to access the bucket. What is the most likely reason?
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 resource ARN in the policy is for EC2, not for S3
Option C is correct because the condition uses aws:SourceVpce, which checks the VPC endpoint ID. However, if the EC2 instance is accessing S3 through a gateway endpoint (not interface endpoint), the sourceVpce condition will not match because gateway endpoints do not provide a VPC endpoint ID in the request. Option A is wrong because the resource ARN is for EC2 instances, but the policy is for S3 bucket? Actually, the exhibit shows a condition, not a full policy. The condition is likely part of an S3 bucket policy. The resource ARN for S3 would be different. The exhibit shows a resource ARN for EC2, which is suspicious. Actually, the exhibit shows Resource: "arn:aws:ec2:..." which is incorrect for S3. That might be the problem. Option D: The resource ARN is for EC2, not S3. So the policy is malformed. The most likely reason is that the resource ARN is incorrect. So option D. Let's re-evaluate: The exhibit shows Resource: "arn:aws:ec2:..." but the condition is for S3? The stem says 'added to an S3 bucket policy'. So the resource ARN should be for S3. Therefore the policy is invalid. So answer D.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 condition should use aws:SourceVpc instead of aws:SourceVpce
Why it's wrong here
For gateway endpoints, use aws:SourceVpc; for interface endpoints, use aws:SourceVpce. But the resource ARN issue is more fundamental.
✗
The EC2 instance does not have a public IP address
Why it's wrong here
Access via VPC endpoint does not require public IP.
✗
The VPC endpoint policy does not allow the s3:GetObject action
Why it's wrong here
The exhibit does not mention endpoint policy.
✓
The resource ARN in the policy is for EC2, not for S3
Why this is correct
An S3 bucket policy must have resource ARN for S3, such as arn:aws:s3:::bucket-name.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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
How to think about this question
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.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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.
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.
Threat Detection and Incident Response — This question tests Threat Detection and Incident Response — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The resource ARN in the policy is for EC2, not for S3 — Option C is correct because the condition uses aws:SourceVpce, which checks the VPC endpoint ID. However, if the EC2 instance is accessing S3 through a gateway endpoint (not interface endpoint), the sourceVpce condition will not match because gateway endpoints do not provide a VPC endpoint ID in the request. Option A is wrong because the resource ARN is for EC2 instances, but the policy is for S3 bucket? Actually, the exhibit shows a condition, not a full policy. The condition is likely part of an S3 bucket policy. The resource ARN for S3 would be different. The exhibit shows a resource ARN for EC2, which is suspicious. Actually, the exhibit shows Resource: "arn:aws:ec2:..." which is incorrect for S3. That might be the problem. Option D: The resource ARN is for EC2, not S3. So the policy is malformed. The most likely reason is that the resource ARN is incorrect. So option D. Let's re-evaluate: The exhibit shows Resource: "arn:aws:ec2:..." but the condition is for S3? The stem says 'added to an S3 bucket policy'. So the resource ARN should be for S3. Therefore the policy is invalid. So answer D.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
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.
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?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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