easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
CISA Practice Question: Based on the exhibit, what is the security risk…
Network Topology
Based on the exhibit, what is the security risk of this bucket policy?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISACA often tests the distinction between read and write permissions in bucket policies, and the trap here is that candidates see `"Principal": "*"` and assume it means full public access (both read and write), but the specific `Action` determines the actual risk—only read access is granted in this case.
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
✓
The bucket is publicly readable
The bucket policy grants public read access by setting `"Principal": "*"` and `"Effect": "Allow"` with `"Action": "s3:GetObject"`. This means any unauthenticated user on the internet can list and retrieve objects in the bucket, making it publicly readable. The policy does not require any authentication or authorization checks, which is a common misconfiguration leading to data exposure.
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 bucket is publicly readable
Why this is correct
Principal: * allows anonymous access.
- ✗
The bucket allows public write access
Why it's wrong here
Only GetObject is allowed.
- ✗
The bucket policy restricts access to a specific IAM role
Why it's wrong here
Principal is *, not a role.
- ✗
The bucket policy is not encrypted
Why it's wrong here
Encryption is not shown.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
Go deeper
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CISA practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISACA 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 CISA exam.