MCB Data Cloud Certification Practice Exam

What authentication type is recommended for connecting Data Cloud to an Amazon S3 bucket?

1. Use an S3 Encrypted Username and Password

2. Use an S3 Private Key Certificate

3. Use an S3 Access Key and Secret Key

4. Use a JWT Token generated on S3

The correct answer is: Use an S3 Access Key and Secret Key

The recommended authentication type for connecting Data Cloud to an Amazon S3 bucket is to use an S3 Access Key and Secret Key. This method is favored because it provides a straightforward and secure way to authenticate API requests made to S3. Amazon S3 employs a key-based authentication system, where an Access Key ID and a Secret Access Key are generated. These keys function like a username and password, allowing applications to authenticate with AWS services. They provide a high level of security, especially when combined with best practices such as creating IAM users with specific permissions, rotating keys regularly, and following the principle of least privilege. Using Access Keys is also compatible with a range of AWS SDKs and CLI tools, which makes integrating with Data Cloud seamless. This approach is not only reliable but also widely used in the industry to access AWS resources efficiently. Other methods such as encrypted usernames and passwords, private key certificates, or JWT tokens may not align fully with how AWS expects authentication to occur for S3, which is why they are less favorable in this scenario. Each of those methods can have complexities or limitations that are not as straightforward as using Access Keys, making them less practical for the specific case of connecting Data Cloud to S3.