Quick Answer
The answer is that the log bucket has a bucket policy denying access to the S3 log delivery service. This is the most likely cause because S3 server access logging relies on a specific log delivery account principal to write objects into the destination bucket; if the bucket policy explicitly denies that principal’s write permissions, the logs will never be delivered, leaving the log bucket empty. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how S3 access logging interacts with bucket policies—a common trap is assuming ACLs or CloudTrail are involved, but the core issue is always policy-based permission for the log delivery service. Remember the memory tip: “Logs need a policy pass, not a bucket class.”
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. 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.
A company has an S3 bucket that stores sensitive customer data. The security team requires that all access to the bucket be logged for auditing. The SysOps administrator enabled S3 server access logging and configured the logs to be delivered to a different S3 bucket in the same account. However, after a week, the log bucket is empty. 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 log bucket has no lifecycle policy.
Why wrong: Not required.
The source bucket has an ACL that denies the log delivery service.
Why wrong: The log delivery service uses a special principal.
The log bucket has a bucket policy that denies access to the log delivery service.
Prevents log delivery.
The log bucket is in a different region.
Why wrong: Cross-region logging is supported.
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 log bucket has a bucket policy that denies access to the log delivery service.
Option D is correct because if the log delivery bucket has a bucket policy that denies access to the log delivery service, the logs will not be written. The S3 log delivery service uses a specific principal. Option A is wrong because the ACLs are not the issue. Option B is wrong because the log bucket is in the same account. Option C is wrong because CloudTrail is not required for S3 access logs.
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 log bucket has no lifecycle policy.
Why it's wrong here
Not required.
The source bucket has an ACL that denies the log delivery service.
Why it's wrong here
The log delivery service uses a special principal.
The log bucket has a bucket policy that denies access to the log delivery service.
Why this is correct
Prevents log delivery.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
The log bucket is in a different region.
Why it's wrong here
Cross-region logging is supported.
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 SOA-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Security and Compliance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Security and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
The correct answer is: The log bucket has a bucket policy that denies access to the log delivery service. — Option D is correct because if the log delivery bucket has a bucket policy that denies access to the log delivery service, the logs will not be written. The S3 log delivery service uses a specific principal. Option A is wrong because the ACLs are not the issue. Option B is wrong because the log bucket is in the same account. Option C is wrong because CloudTrail is not required for S3 access logs.
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 SOA-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
This SOA-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 SOA-C02 exam.
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