mediumMultiple Choice
CCSP Practice Question: Refer to the exhibit
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit. Error Log Entry: Timestamp: 2024-08-15T14:23:10Z User: [email protected] Action: PutObject Resource: s3://finance-reports/quarterly.xlsx Status: AccessDenied Source IP: 203.0.113.45 UserAgent: [ConsoleLogin] Additional: The user does not have permissions to write to this bucket.
Refer to the exhibit. A cloud administrator sees this error log from AWS CloudTrail. The user [email protected] is a member of the 'Analysts' group. Which of the following is the most likely cause of the AccessDenied error?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between an implicit deny (missing Allow) and an explicit deny (Deny statement), and candidates mistakenly assume a bucket policy or encryption requirement is the cause when the error is simply a missing permission in the IAM policy.
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 IAM policy attached to the user or group does not include s3:PutObject for that bucket.
The AccessDenied error for an s3:PutObject operation indicates that the IAM policy attached to the user or group does not grant the necessary permissions. Since the user is a member of the 'Analysts' group, the most likely cause is that the group's IAM policy lacks an Allow effect for s3:PutObject on the target bucket. AWS IAM evaluates both identity-based and resource-based policies, and if no explicit Allow is present, the default implicit deny applies.
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 user is trying to access the bucket from a different AWS region.
Why it's wrong here
S3 buckets are regional resources, but cross-region requests to a bucket's endpoint still resolve and authorise normally; region mismatch alone does not yield AccessDenied. It is tempting because region errors are common, yet the exhibit's policy or condition context indicates the actual denial source.
- ✓
The IAM policy attached to the user or group does not include s3:PutObject for that bucket.
Why this is correct
The AccessDenied error arises because the identity-based IAM policy attached to the user or the Analysts group omits the s3:PutObject action for that bucket. Without an explicit Allow granting this action on the bucket ARN, IAM's default implicit deny blocks the request, satisfying the stem's authorisation constraint.
- ✗
The bucket policy explicitly denies access to the 'Analysts' group.
Why it's wrong here
An explicit Deny in the bucket policy overrides any Allow granted through IAM identity policies, which is exactly what produces AccessDenied for a group member. It is tempting because it is the textbook cause, but the exhibit's log details point to a different mechanism, such as a mismatched condition or resource ARN.
- ✗
The bucket requires server-side encryption and the request did not include encryption headers.
Why it's wrong here
Missing encryption headers produce a 400 InvalidRequest or KMS-related error, not AccessDenied, since SSE-S3 and SSE-KMS reject malformed requests before authorisation. It is tempting because encryption requirements do block uploads, but the correct answer involves an explicit policy statement denying the Analysts group.
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 CCSP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CCSP exam.