The correct answer is to create an IAM role with a policy granting read-only access to the specific DynamoDB table and attach it to the SageMaker notebook instance. This approach enforces the principle of least privilege by scoping permissions to exactly the resources and actions needed—read-only on a single DynamoDB table—while avoiding hardcoded credentials or overly broad policies. On the AWS Certified AI Practitioner AIF-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how IAM roles integrate with SageMaker to securely access supporting AWS services like DynamoDB, a common pattern for ML workloads handling sensitive data. A frequent trap is selecting a solution that uses access keys or grants full DynamoDB access; remember that SageMaker instances assume roles, not users. Memory tip: "Role, not key; read, not write; one table, not all."
AIF-C01 Practice Question: Security, Compliance and Governance for AI Solutions
This AIF-C01 practice question tests your understanding of security, compliance and governance for ai solutions. 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.
A healthcare company is deploying a machine learning model on Amazon SageMaker to analyze patient records. The model requires access to a DynamoDB table containing patient data. Which combination of AWS services and features should the company use to restrict access to only the necessary resources?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create an IAM role with a policy granting read-only access to the specific DynamoDB table and attach it to the SageMaker notebook instance
Option B is correct because it follows the AWS principle of least privilege by creating an IAM role with a policy that grants read-only access to the specific DynamoDB table, then attaching that role to the SageMaker notebook instance. This ensures the notebook can only perform read operations on the required table without exposing long-term credentials or granting broader 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.
✗
Attach a DynamoDB resource-based policy to the table allowing access from the SageMaker notebook
Why it's wrong here
DynamoDB resource-based policies are not supported; IAM roles are required.
✓
Create an IAM role with a policy granting read-only access to the specific DynamoDB table and attach it to the SageMaker notebook instance
Why this is correct
This follows least-privilege principle and uses temporary credentials via IAM roles.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Store AWS access keys in the notebook and use those credentials to access DynamoDB
Why it's wrong here
Embedding long-term credentials is insecure and violates best practices.
✗
Launch the SageMaker notebook in a VPC with a security group that allows access to DynamoDB
Why it's wrong here
VPC security groups control network traffic, not IAM permissions.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that DynamoDB supports resource-based policies like S3 bucket policies, but in reality DynamoDB only uses IAM identity-based policies for access control.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When an IAM role is attached to a SageMaker notebook instance, the AWS SDK automatically obtains temporary credentials via the instance metadata service (IMDS), which are rotated automatically and scoped to the permissions in the role's policy. This eliminates the need to manage static keys and reduces the risk of credential exposure. In a real-world scenario, a healthcare company would also enable DynamoDB encryption at rest and in transit, and use VPC endpoints to keep traffic within the AWS network, but the IAM role remains the core mechanism for fine-grained access control.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Security, Compliance and Governance for AI Solutions — This question tests Security, Compliance and Governance for AI Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an IAM role with a policy granting read-only access to the specific DynamoDB table and attach it to the SageMaker notebook instance — Option B is correct because it follows the AWS principle of least privilege by creating an IAM role with a policy that grants read-only access to the specific DynamoDB table, then attaching that role to the SageMaker notebook instance. This ensures the notebook can only perform read operations on the required table without exposing long-term credentials or granting broader permissions.
What should I do if I get this AIF-C01 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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