- A
Apply an S3 Bucket Policy on each bucket that denies public access.
Why wrong: Incorrect. This requires applying to each bucket and can be modified by users with appropriate permissions.
- B
Use an AWS Config managed rule 's3-bucket-public-read-prohibited' to detect and remediate public buckets.
Why wrong: Incorrect. This is detective, not preventive, and may not stop the configuration from being made public.
- C
Enable S3 Block Public Access at the account level and attach an SCP to deny changes to it.
Correct. Account-level block public access prevents all public access, and an SCP prevents users from disabling it.
- D
Create an IAM policy that denies s3:PutBucketPolicy for all users.
Why wrong: Incorrect. This prevents changing bucket policies but does not block public ACLs or other access paths.
Quick Answer
The correct approach is to enable S3 Block Public Access at the account level and attach an SCP to deny changes to it, because this combination creates a defense-in-depth control that is both centralized and immutable. The account-level setting prevents any bucket—new or existing—from being made public, regardless of bucket policies or ACLs, while the SCP ensures that even users with full administrative privileges cannot disable or modify the block across any account in the AWS Organization. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to enforce preventive security controls at scale, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose a bucket-level policy or a single IAM permission denial. The key distinction is that SCPs operate above IAM, so they can override even root user actions. Memory tip: think “Account lock plus SCP block” to remember that both layers are required for organizational enforcement.
SOA-C02 Security and Compliance Practice Question
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.
An organization requires that all Amazon S3 buckets block public access entirely. A SysOps administrator needs to ensure that no bucket can be made public, even accidentally. Which approach enforces this control at the organizational level?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Enable S3 Block Public Access at the account level and attach an SCP to deny changes to it.
Option C is correct because S3 Block Public Access at the account level provides a centralized, immutable control that prevents any bucket in the account from being made public, regardless of bucket policies or ACLs. Attaching an SCP (Service Control Policy) to deny changes to these settings ensures that even administrators with full IAM permissions cannot disable the block, enforcing the control at the organizational level across all accounts in the organization.
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.
- ✗
Apply an S3 Bucket Policy on each bucket that denies public access.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. This requires applying to each bucket and can be modified by users with appropriate permissions.
- ✗
Use an AWS Config managed rule 's3-bucket-public-read-prohibited' to detect and remediate public buckets.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. This is detective, not preventive, and may not stop the configuration from being made public.
- ✓
Enable S3 Block Public Access at the account level and attach an SCP to deny changes to it.
Why this is correct
Correct. Account-level block public access prevents all public access, and an SCP prevents users from disabling it.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create an IAM policy that denies s3:PutBucketPolicy for all users.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. This prevents changing bucket policies but does not block public ACLs or other access paths.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse detective controls (like AWS Config rules) with preventive controls (like SCPs and account-level Block Public Access), assuming that detecting and auto-remediating public buckets is equivalent to preventing them from ever becoming public.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
S3 Block Public Access settings at the account level override any bucket-level policies or ACLs that would grant public access, and they are enforced by the S3 service itself before any request is evaluated. When combined with an SCP that denies s3:PutAccountPublicAccessBlock and s3:DeleteAccountPublicAccessBlock, even the root user of a member account cannot disable the block, making it a true organizational guardrail. This approach aligns with the AWS Well-Architected Framework's principle of 'preventive controls' rather than 'detective controls'.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SOA-C02 question test?
Security and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable S3 Block Public Access at the account level and attach an SCP to deny changes to it. — Option C is correct because S3 Block Public Access at the account level provides a centralized, immutable control that prevents any bucket in the account from being made public, regardless of bucket policies or ACLs. Attaching an SCP (Service Control Policy) to deny changes to these settings ensures that even administrators with full IAM permissions cannot disable the block, enforcing the control at the organizational level across all accounts in the organization.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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