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Question 454 of 1,786

Data Security and Governance →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The correct approach is to use AWS IAM Access Analyzer to generate findings for unused access and create an AWS Config custom rule with a Lambda function that automatically disables the access keys and sends a notification via SNS. This solution works because IAM Access Analyzer continuously analyzes IAM usage across your AWS Organizations accounts to detect unused access, while AWS Config’s custom rule triggers a Lambda function for auto-remediation, disabling keys and alerting the security team—all without granting excessive permissions. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this question tests your ability to combine detective and automated corrective controls for identity security in a multi-account data lake environment, with a common trap being to confuse IAM Access Analyzer with CloudTrail or Lake Formation. Remember the mnemonic “A-C-L” for Access Analyzer, Config rule, Lambda—the three native services that detect, remediate, and notify.

DEA-C01 Data Security and Governance Practice Question

This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data security and governance. 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 company runs a data lake on AWS using S3 for storage and AWS Glue for ETL. The security team discovers that a contractor who left the company two months ago still has access to an S3 bucket containing sensitive data. The access was granted via an IAM user that was not deleted. The data engineer is asked to implement a solution to prevent future occurrences. The company uses AWS Organizations and has multiple accounts. The requirement is to automatically detect and remediate IAM users that have not been used for 90 days by disabling their access keys and notifying the security team. The solution must be least privilege and use AWS-native services. Which approach should the data engineer take?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.

Question 1hardmultiple choice

Read the full NAT/PAT explanation →

A
Use AWS IAM Access Analyzer to generate findings for unused access and create an AWS Config managed rule to automatically disable the IAM user's access keys.
Why wrong: IAM Access Analyzer can find unused access, but AWS Config managed rules cannot disable keys; a custom Lambda is needed.
B
Use AWS CloudTrail to monitor IAM user activity and set up a CloudWatch alarm that triggers an SNS notification to the security team to manually disable the keys.
Why wrong: Manual process, not automated remediation.
C
Use AWS Lake Formation to revoke the permissions of the IAM user and set up a scheduled Lambda function to check for unused IAM users.
Why wrong: Lake Formation does not manage IAM users.
D
Use AWS IAM Access Analyzer to generate findings for unused access and create an AWS Config custom rule with a Lambda function that automatically disables the access keys and sends a notification via SNS.
This automates detection and remediation.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

Use AWS IAM Access Analyzer to generate findings for unused access and create an AWS Config custom rule with a Lambda function that automatically disables the access keys and sends a notification via SNS.

Option D is correct. AWS IAM Access Analyzer can generate findings for unused access, and AWS Config with a custom rule can auto-remediate by invoking a Lambda function to disable keys and notify via SNS. Option A is wrong because IAM roles are not relevant for user access keys. Option B is wrong because CloudTrail does not automatically disable keys. Option C is wrong because Lake Formation does not manage IAM users.

Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✗
Use AWS IAM Access Analyzer to generate findings for unused access and create an AWS Config managed rule to automatically disable the IAM user's access keys.
Why it's wrong here
IAM Access Analyzer can find unused access, but AWS Config managed rules cannot disable keys; a custom Lambda is needed.
✗
Use AWS CloudTrail to monitor IAM user activity and set up a CloudWatch alarm that triggers an SNS notification to the security team to manually disable the keys.
Why it's wrong here
Manual process, not automated remediation.
✗
Use AWS Lake Formation to revoke the permissions of the IAM user and set up a scheduled Lambda function to check for unused IAM users.
Why it's wrong here
Lake Formation does not manage IAM users.
✓
Use AWS IAM Access Analyzer to generate findings for unused access and create an AWS Config custom rule with a Lambda function that automatically disables the access keys and sends a notification via SNS.
Why this is correct
This automates detection and remediation.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization

Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.

KKey Concepts to Remember

Authentication checks who the user is.
Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.

TExam Day Tips

Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.

Key takeaway

Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.

Real-world example

How this comes up in practice

A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related DEA-C01 questions on access control and AAA configuration.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this DEA-C01 question test?

Data Security and Governance — This question tests Data Security and Governance — Authentication checks who the user is..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Use AWS IAM Access Analyzer to generate findings for unused access and create an AWS Config custom rule with a Lambda function that automatically disables the access keys and sends a notification via SNS. — Option D is correct. AWS IAM Access Analyzer can generate findings for unused access, and AWS Config with a custom rule can auto-remediate by invoking a Lambda function to disable keys and notify via SNS. Option A is wrong because IAM roles are not relevant for user access keys. Option B is wrong because CloudTrail does not automatically disable keys. Option C is wrong because Lake Formation does not manage IAM users.

What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Authentication checks who the user is.

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