The answer is unauthorized data access and exfiltration. This misconfiguration allows any unauthenticated user on the internet to perform s3:GetObject requests against the 'company-backup' bucket, effectively granting public read access to all stored objects. Because the Principal is set to a wildcard asterisk, no identity verification is required, meaning an attacker can simply list and download sensitive data without triggering typical authentication controls. On the Certified Ethical Hacker CEH exam, this scenario tests your understanding of cloud-specific enumeration and data exposure risks, often appearing in the cloud security domain alongside topics like misconfigured security groups or open storage containers. A common trap is confusing this with privilege escalation or denial of service, but the core issue here is a direct authorization failure that enables data theft. Memory tip: think of the wildcard asterisk as a "star" that lets anyone in—if GetObject is open to *, your data is already gone.
CEH Practice Question: Advanced Topics: Wireless, Cloud, IoT, Cryptography
This CEH practice question tests your understanding of advanced topics: wireless, cloud, iot, cryptography. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 cloud security engineer notices that an S3 bucket named 'company-backup' is configured to allow 's3:GetObject' access to 'Principal: *'. Which attack is this misconfiguration MOST likely to enable?
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Unauthorized data access and exfiltration
When an S3 bucket allows GetObject access to any principal (public), anyone can list and download objects, leading to data exposure. This is a classic unauthorized data access scenario, not privileged escalation or DoS.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Denial of service by deleting objects
Why it's wrong here
The policy grants GetObject (read), not DeleteObject, so deletion is not allowed.
✗
SSRF attack to internal metadata
Why it's wrong here
SSRF attacks target metadata endpoints; public S3 access does not directly enable SSRF.
✗
Privilege escalation via IAM role
Why it's wrong here
Public read access does not grant IAM role privileges; it only allows data access.
✓
Unauthorized data access and exfiltration
Why this is correct
Public read access to an S3 bucket allows anyone to download its contents, leading to data breach.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Authentication checks who the user is.
Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
→Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
→Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
→Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CEH question in full detail.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related CEH questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Advanced Topics: Wireless, Cloud, IoT, Cryptography — This question tests Advanced Topics: Wireless, Cloud, IoT, Cryptography — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Unauthorized data access and exfiltration — When an S3 bucket allows GetObject access to any principal (public), anyone can list and download objects, leading to data exposure. This is a classic unauthorized data access scenario, not privileged escalation or DoS.
What should I do if I get this CEH question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related CEH questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. During a cloud penetration test, a tester discovers an S3 bucket that allows public listing and write access. Which of the following is the MOST likely misconfiguration?
easy
A.The bucket is in a different region than the EC2 instance
✓ B.The bucket policy grants 's3:GetObject' and 's3:PutObject' to 'Principal': *
C.IAM roles attached to the bucket allow anonymous access
D.Server-side encryption is disabled
Why B: The correct answer is that the bucket policy or ACL is set to 'Everyone' with write permissions, a common misconfiguration leading to data exposure.
Variation 2. A security team discovers that an S3 bucket configured for static website hosting is exposing sensitive documents. The bucket policy allows public read access. Which AWS misconfiguration is MOST likely present?
hard
✓ A.The bucket policy allows s3:GetObject for all principals
B.The bucket versioning is disabled
C.The bucket is not using server-side encryption
D.The bucket ACL grants write access to authenticated users
Why A: Public read access to the bucket and objects is the direct cause. Blocking public access would prevent this.
Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
Question Discussion
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