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To let someone upload files without reading, listing, replacing, or deleting them, grant create or upload permission only on a dedicated bucket prefix or exact object path. Do not grant read, list, or delete permissions; where supported, use create-only permissions or unique object names to prevent replacement. Then test each action through the storage service’s real API using the uploader’s identity.

What write-only access means

Write-only access is an allowlist of object-creation actions, not a filesystem permission bit. The uploader can send a new object to an authorized location but cannot retrieve its contents, enumerate objects, or delete them. Whether the uploader can replace an existing object depends on the provider’s permission model and policy.

Oracle’s object-storage policy example grants OBJECT_CREATE for objects matching a scoped name and explains that users cannot view the bucket’s object list or delete its objects. MinIO’s built-in writeonly policy permits PUT to a specific object location, corresponding to s3:PutObject; actions not granted are denied, and an explicit Deny overrides an Allow. See Oracle’s common policy examples and MinIO’s policy-based access control documentation.

Set up a write-only upload location

1. Choose a narrow boundary

Create a dedicated bucket or use a prefix such as incoming/tenant-123/. Avoid granting access at the bucket root when the uploader only needs one tenant’s or application’s upload area. Scope the permission to the intended prefix or exact object path.

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2. Allow object creation and omit other actions

In Oracle IAM, the documented policy shape is:

ALLOW group test-group TO manage objects IN TENANCY where all {target.bucket.name = 'test-bucket', target.object.name = 'prod/*', any{request.permission='OBJECT_CREATE'}}

Despite the word manage, the condition narrows this example to the OBJECT_CREATE permission for objects under prod/* in test-bucket. Check the effective policy and adapt the names and boundary to your account.

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In S3-compatible policies, allow PutObject only for the intended object ARN. Do not grant GetObject, ListBucket, or DeleteObject, and check for other permissions or policies that could allow those actions. AWS describes controls through bucket policies, access points, and IAM policies; administrators can constrain who may perform an API action, what it applies to, and conditions such as when, where, or how it is used. See AWS access management for Amazon S3.

3. Use a short-lived upload token for external clients

For a client that should not receive long-lived storage credentials, have a trusted service authenticate and authorize the client, then issue a delegated upload key restricted to the intended resource and a short validity period. Deliver it over HTTPS. If the key is exposed, revoke or invalidate the signing policy that issued it. Microsoft’s Valet Key guidance describes write-only keys as a common option for file uploads and recommends constraining the resource and validity period. See Microsoft’s Valet Key pattern.

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4. Decide whether uploads may replace existing objects

Write-only does not automatically mean create-once. Prefer a provider’s create-only permission when available, or require unique object names so a second upload cannot target an existing name. Microsoft notes that create permission does not allow overwrites, making a token effectively single-use for one write. Confirm this behavior for the storage service and token type you deploy rather than assuming every PUT policy prevents replacement.

Protect the system from uploaded content

Quarantine before processing

Accept files into an incoming or quarantine prefix. Validate file type, structure, and size against the application’s requirements, and sanitize where appropriate before a trusted service moves approved objects into a processing or delivery area. A write-only credential controls access; it does not establish that uploaded data is safe or valid. Microsoft’s Valet Key guidance likewise recommends validating and optionally sanitizing uploads.

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Monitor activity

Enable storage access logging and review failed authentication, unexpected prefixes, unusual upload volume, and attempts to delete objects. AWS notes that access logs can help identify which user uploaded or deleted an object. Use those records to investigate both expected uploads and denied actions.

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Verify permissions with real API requests

Test using the actual uploader identity, endpoint, and client—not an administrator account or a local view of permissions. Object-store clients may simulate Unix permissions, so displayed mode bits or successful ls or stat output do not prove what the storage API will authorize. Hadoop documents this compatibility issue for object stores and write-only paths. See Hadoop’s S3A documentation.

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  1. PUT a new object under the permitted prefix. It should succeed.
  2. GET that object. It should fail for the uploader.
  3. LIST the bucket or prefix. It should fail if listing is not part of the intended access.
  4. PUT again using the same object name. Confirm the service’s actual overwrite behavior; create-only access should reject replacement.
  5. DELETE the object. It should fail for the uploader.

Run these checks after policy changes and with the same token or credentials that the client will use. If any forbidden request succeeds, inspect inherited roles, bucket or access-point policies, token scope, and other grants that may broaden effective access.

Compare providers on the controls that matter

Before choosing an object-storage service or upload flow, compare how it handles the following controls; availability and behavior vary by provider and configuration.

Control What to verify
Create versus overwrite Whether the policy can allow first-time creation while rejecting replacement of an existing object.
Path scope Whether permissions can be limited to a bucket prefix or exact object name.
Token expiry and revocation How narrowly a delegated upload token can be scoped, how long it can remain valid, and how its signing policy can be invalidated.
Upload limits Whether upload size and rate can be constrained for the intended client and workflow.
Validation hooks How uploaded objects can be quarantined, scanned, or validated before downstream processing.
Audit detail Whether logs identify the actor, target object, action, and denied attempts clearly enough for monitoring.
Encryption Which encryption options apply to stored objects and how keys are managed.
Client compatibility Whether the intended SDK or filesystem client works with write-only access without relying on listing, metadata reads, or simulated permissions.

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