SCS-C02 Identity and Access Management Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of identity and access management. 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.
Which TWO actions are valid ways to grant an IAM user access to an S3 bucket owned by another AWS account? (Choose TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Have the user assume an IAM role in the bucket-owning account with appropriate permissions.
Correct answers are B and C. Bucket policies allow cross-account access when the bucket policy grants access to the user's account, and the user must have explicit permission. ACLs are legacy but can grant cross-account access. Role assumption is also valid.
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.
✓
Have the user assume an IAM role in the bucket-owning account with appropriate permissions.
Why this is correct
Cross-account role assumption grants temporary access.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✓
Create a bucket policy that grants access to the user's AWS account.
Why this is correct
Bucket policies can grant access to other accounts.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
Attach an IAM policy to the user in their own account allowing access to the bucket.
Why it's wrong here
The user's own account cannot grant access to resources in another account without a resource-based policy.
✗
Add the user's ARN to the bucket's ACL.
Why it's wrong here
ACLs support only canonical IDs and AWS accounts, not IAM user ARNs.
✗
Use an S3 access point with a policy that allows the user.
Why it's wrong here
Access points are per-account and cannot be used cross-account without additional configuration.
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.
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.
Identity and Access Management — This question tests Identity and Access Management — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Have the user assume an IAM role in the bucket-owning account with appropriate permissions. — Correct answers are B and C. Bucket policies allow cross-account access when the bucket policy grants access to the user's account, and the user must have explicit permission. ACLs are legacy but can grant cross-account access. Role assumption is also valid.
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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Question Discussion
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