The answer is a missing s3:GetObjectVersion permission in the IAM policy. This is the cause of the failure because when AWS CodeDeploy retrieves a revision from a versioned S3 bucket, it often calls the GetObjectVersion API to fetch a specific version of the deployment archive, and the policy shown only grants s3:GetObject, which is insufficient for that operation. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how CodeDeploy interacts with S3 versioning and the precise IAM permissions required, a common trap being that candidates assume s3:GetObject alone covers all read operations. Remember that CodeDeploy’s deployment process may target a specific object version, so the instance profile’s policy must explicitly include s3:GetObjectVersion for the bucket. A useful memory tip is “GetObject is for the latest, GetObjectVersion is for the specific.”
SOA-C02 Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of deployment, provisioning, and automation. 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 administrator attempts to deploy an application using AWS CodeDeploy. The deployment fails with 'Access Denied' when trying to download the revision from the S3 bucket 'example-bucket'. The IAM policy attached to the instance profile is shown in the exhibit. What is the cause of the failure?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The policy is missing the s3:GetObjectVersion action for the bucket
Option A is correct because the policy grants s3:GetObject on the bucket contents, but CodeDeploy also needs s3:GetObjectVersion for versioned buckets or the deployment may be using a specific version. However, the exhibit shows only s3:GetObject, not s3:GetObjectVersion. Additionally, the policy does not include s3:GetObjectTagging or other actions that might be required. But the most common issue is that the policy is missing s3:GetObjectVersion. Option B is wrong because the policy does have s3:ListBucket. Option C is wrong because the policy is attached to the instance profile. Option D is wrong because s3:ListBucket is present.
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 policy does not include s3:ListBucket
Why it's wrong here
The policy includes s3:ListBucket.
✓
The policy is missing the s3:GetObjectVersion action for the bucket
Why this is correct
CodeDeploy may use versioned S3 objects; the policy lacks GetObjectVersion.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The policy grants s3:ListBucket but not s3:GetObject
Why it's wrong here
The policy includes s3:GetObject.
✗
The policy is attached to the wrong IAM role
Why it's wrong here
The scenario states it's attached to the instance profile.
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.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
The scenario states it's attached to the instance profile.
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 SOA-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.
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — This question tests Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The policy is missing the s3:GetObjectVersion action for the bucket — Option A is correct because the policy grants s3:GetObject on the bucket contents, but CodeDeploy also needs s3:GetObjectVersion for versioned buckets or the deployment may be using a specific version. However, the exhibit shows only s3:GetObject, not s3:GetObjectVersion. Additionally, the policy does not include s3:GetObjectTagging or other actions that might be required. But the most common issue is that the policy is missing s3:GetObjectVersion. Option B is wrong because the policy does have s3:ListBucket. Option C is wrong because the policy is attached to the instance profile. Option D is wrong because s3:ListBucket is present.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SOA-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.
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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