Quick Answer
The correct answer is that the S3 bucket policy denies write access from CloudTrail. When troubleshooting CloudTrail log delivery failure, the most common culprit is a misconfigured bucket policy that explicitly denies the `s3:PutObject` action for the CloudTrail service principal, often due to a misplaced Deny statement or an incorrect condition key like `aws:SourceArn`. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between a trail that is active (status shows `LatestDeliveryAttemptSucceeded` recent) and one where the actual log files are being rejected at the bucket level—a classic trap where candidates focus on the trail’s health instead of the destination permissions. A quick memory tip: if the trail status says “delivery succeeded” but logs are old, think “policy, not path”—the bucket policy is blocking writes even though the trail itself is running.
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 notices that CloudTrail logs are not being delivered to the S3 bucket for the past 2 hours. The output of 'get-trail-status' is shown. 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.
The S3 bucket does not exist.
Why wrong: Incorrect: If bucket didn't exist, delivery would fail from start.
The trail has been stopped.
Why wrong: Incorrect: StopLoggingTime is null, and IsLogging is true.
The S3 bucket policy denies write access from CloudTrail.
Correct: A misconfigured bucket policy can block delivery.
CloudWatch Logs delivery is failing.
Why wrong: Incorrect: LatestCloudWatchLogsDeliveryTime is recent.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The S3 bucket policy denies write access from CloudTrail.
Option D is correct because the latest delivery time is a Unix timestamp that is old (2 hours ago), but the delivery succeeded at that time. However, the 'LatestDeliveryAttemptSucceeded' shows a recent time, indicating a recent delivery. Wait: Actually, the 'LatestDeliveryTime' is 1625097600 which is July 1, 2021, but the current time might be later. If logs are not delivering, check S3 bucket policy. The bucket policy might have been changed to deny write access. Option A is wrong because the trail is logging. Option B is wrong because CloudWatch Logs delivery is also recent. Option C is wrong because the trail is not stopped.
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
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
The S3 bucket does not exist.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: If bucket didn't exist, delivery would fail from start.
The trail has been stopped.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: StopLoggingTime is null, and IsLogging is true.
The S3 bucket policy denies write access from CloudTrail.
Why this is correct
Correct: A misconfigured bucket policy can block delivery.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
CloudWatch Logs delivery is failing.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: LatestCloudWatchLogsDeliveryTime is recent.
Common exam traps
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
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.
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
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
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
Management and Security Governance — This question tests Management and Security Governance — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
The correct answer is: The S3 bucket policy denies write access from CloudTrail. — Option D is correct because the latest delivery time is a Unix timestamp that is old (2 hours ago), but the delivery succeeded at that time. However, the 'LatestDeliveryAttemptSucceeded' shows a recent time, indicating a recent delivery. Wait: Actually, the 'LatestDeliveryTime' is 1625097600 which is July 1, 2021, but the current time might be later. If logs are not delivering, check S3 bucket policy. The bucket policy might have been changed to deny write access. Option A is wrong because the trail is logging. Option B is wrong because CloudWatch Logs delivery is also recent. Option C is wrong because the trail is not stopped.
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.
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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