CCSP Deny Override Practice Question
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
Exhibit:
JSON Policy (AWS S3 bucket policy):
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Principal": "*",
"Action": "s3:GetObject",
"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::myapp-data/*",
"Condition": {
"IpAddress": {
"aws:SourceIp": "10.0.0.0/8"
}
}
},
{
"Effect": "Deny",
"Principal": "*",
"Action": "s3:*",
"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::myapp-data/*"
}
]
}A security analyst reviews the above cloud storage bucket policy. The bucket stores sensitive application data. What is the primary security issue with this policy?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the nuance that a Deny statement with a condition that denies all traffic not matching the IP range will block all traffic, including from authorized IPs, because candidates mistakenly think the Allow statement will override the Deny.
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 Deny statement will block all access, including from authorized IPs
The Deny statement with a condition that denies all requests not matching the specified IP range will block access from any IP address that is not in the listed range, including authorized IPs that the policy intended to allow. This creates a complete denial of service for legitimate users, making it the primary security issue.
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 resource identifier should not include a wildcard
Why it's wrong here
While wildcards in resource identifiers can be overly permissive, this is not the primary issue here.
- ✓
The Deny statement will block all access, including from authorized IPs
Why this is correct
Correct. The Deny with NotIpAddress blocks all IPs not in the range, overriding any Allow.
- ✗
The policy should use a condition with source VPC instead of IP
Why it's wrong here
A source VPC condition restricts access based on the originating virtual network, not the client’s IP address. This policy fails because the scenario involves a specific IP range restriction, which a VPC condition cannot enforce; the correct mechanism is an IP address condition using the `aws:SourceIp` key. It is tempting because source VPC conditions are the standard way to limit access to resources from within a trusted network boundary, and would be correct if the requirement were to allow only traffic originating from a particular VPC rather than from a specific set of client IP addresses.
- ✗
The IP address range is too broad
Why it's wrong here
The IP range being broad is a secondary concern; the main issue is the Deny blocking authorized IPs.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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