- A
Patching the Lambda execution environment and runtime
Why wrong: AWS manages the Lambda execution environment, including runtime updates and security patches — this is AWS's responsibility for serverless services.
- B
Managing the underlying servers that run Lambda functions
Why wrong: AWS manages all underlying infrastructure for Lambda — customers have no access to the servers running their functions.
- C
Writing secure function code and managing IAM permissions for the function
Customers are responsible for their function's code quality and security, the IAM role permissions granted to the function, and the security of data processed by the function.
- D
Ensuring Lambda scales automatically during traffic spikes
Why wrong: Lambda's automatic scaling is an AWS-managed capability — customers don't configure or manage scaling infrastructure for Lambda.
CLF-C02 Cloud Concepts Practice Question
This CLF-C02 practice question tests your understanding of cloud concepts. 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.
According to the AWS Shared Responsibility Model, which of the following is the customer's responsibility when using AWS Lambda?
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
Writing secure function code and managing IAM permissions for the function
Under the AWS Shared Responsibility Model, AWS manages the security of the cloud, including the Lambda execution environment, runtime, and underlying servers. The customer is responsible for security in the cloud, which includes writing secure function code and managing IAM permissions to control access to the function and its resources. Option C correctly identifies this customer responsibility.
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.
- ✗
Patching the Lambda execution environment and runtime
Why it's wrong here
AWS manages the Lambda execution environment, including runtime updates and security patches — this is AWS's responsibility for serverless services.
- ✗
Managing the underlying servers that run Lambda functions
Why it's wrong here
AWS manages all underlying infrastructure for Lambda — customers have no access to the servers running their functions.
- ✓
Writing secure function code and managing IAM permissions for the function
Why this is correct
Customers are responsible for their function's code quality and security, the IAM role permissions granted to the function, and the security of data processed by the function.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Ensuring Lambda scales automatically during traffic spikes
Why it's wrong here
Lambda's automatic scaling is an AWS-managed capability — customers don't configure or manage scaling infrastructure for Lambda.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse operational responsibilities (like patching or scaling) with customer responsibilities, assuming they must manage runtime updates or scaling configuration, when in fact AWS handles these automatically for Lambda.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Lambda runs on a managed, multi-tenant infrastructure where AWS handles the hypervisor, operating system, and runtime patches. The customer's responsibility includes securing function code (e.g., validating inputs, avoiding injection attacks) and configuring IAM roles with least-privilege policies to limit what the function can access, such as S3 buckets or DynamoDB tables. A real-world scenario is a Lambda function that processes user uploads; if the customer fails to restrict IAM permissions, an attacker could escalate privileges to delete data from other S3 buckets.
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.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
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.
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Cloud Concepts — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CLF-C02 question test?
Cloud Concepts — This question tests Cloud Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Writing secure function code and managing IAM permissions for the function — Under the AWS Shared Responsibility Model, AWS manages the security of the cloud, including the Lambda execution environment, runtime, and underlying servers. The customer is responsible for security in the cloud, which includes writing secure function code and managing IAM permissions to control access to the function and its resources. Option C correctly identifies this customer responsibility.
What should I do if I get this CLF-C02 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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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This CLF-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services 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 CLF-C02 exam.
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