The answer is Denied because the explicit Deny statement overrides any Allow permissions for that specific action. This outcome is dictated by AWS IAM policy evaluation logic, where an explicit Deny is evaluated first and takes precedence over all Allow statements, regardless of their scope or order. In the context of the CISSP exam, this principle tests your understanding of the fundamental access control concept that a Deny always trumps an Allow when both apply to the same resource and action. A common trap on the exam is assuming that a broader Allow statement can override a more specific Deny, but the rule is absolute: any explicit Deny is final. Remember the mnemonic "Deny is the final say" — once a Deny is explicitly stated, no Allow can reverse it, making this a critical distinction for identity and access management (IAM) policy design.
CISSP Identity and Access Management Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of identity and access management. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. An IAM policy is attached to a user. What is the effective permission when the user attempts to read the object 'confidential/report.pdf'?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Denied because the Deny statement explicitly denies all actions on that path
The correct answer is A because IAM policies evaluate explicit Deny statements before any Allow statements. Since the Deny statement explicitly denies all actions on the 'confidential/report.pdf' path, the user's GetObject request is denied regardless of any broader Allow statements. This is a fundamental principle of AWS IAM policy evaluation logic: an explicit Deny overrides all Allow permissions.
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.
✓
Denied because the Deny statement explicitly denies all actions on that path
Why this is correct
Explicit Deny always takes precedence over any Allow.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Allowed because the resource match is broader in the Allow
Why it's wrong here
The Deny is more specific and explicit; it overrides the Allow.
✗
Allowed because the Allow statement grants GetObject
Why it's wrong here
The Deny statement overrides the Allow for the confidential prefix.
✗
Denied only if the user has no other Allow policies
Why it's wrong here
The Deny is explicit, so it denies regardless of other policies.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the principle that an explicit Deny overrides any Allow, even when the Allow appears more specific or broader, leading candidates to incorrectly assume that a broader Allow or a missing other policy would permit the action.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS IAM policy evaluation uses a default Deny, then processes all applicable policies, and an explicit Deny in any policy (identity-based or resource-based) immediately overrides any Allow. This is documented in the AWS IAM policy evaluation logic: 'Explicit Deny always takes precedence over Allow.' In practice, this prevents privilege escalation via overly broad Allow statements when a specific resource must be protected, such as a sensitive document in a shared bucket.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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 security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CISSP question in full detail.
Identity and Access Management — This question tests Identity and Access Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Denied because the Deny statement explicitly denies all actions on that path — The correct answer is A because IAM policies evaluate explicit Deny statements before any Allow statements. Since the Deny statement explicitly denies all actions on the 'confidential/report.pdf' path, the user's GetObject request is denied regardless of any broader Allow statements. This is a fundamental principle of AWS IAM policy evaluation logic: an explicit Deny overrides all Allow permissions.
What should I do if I get this CISSP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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