Quick Answer
The answer is Effect, Action, and Condition. These three IAM policy elements work together to define the permission: Effect must be set to Allow to grant the action, Action specifies ec2:RunInstances as the operation being permitted, and Condition is used to restrict the launch to a specific EC2 instance type, such as by using the ec2:InstanceType condition key. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this tests your understanding of how IAM policy structure enforces resource-level restrictions without necessarily requiring a Resource element—a common trap is assuming Resource is mandatory, but Condition provides a more flexible way to filter by instance type. A useful memory tip is to think of the three C’s: Can (Effect), Do (Action), and When/Where (Condition).
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 wants to ensure that an IAM user can only launch Amazon EC2 instances of a specific instance type. Which THREE IAM policy elements are required to define this permission? (Choose THREE.)
Action
Action specifies ec2:RunInstances.
Principal
Why wrong: Principal is not used in resource-based policies; in IAM user policy, the principal is implied.
Effect
Effect must be Allow to grant the permission.
Resource
Why wrong: Resource can be used but is not required; Condition can restrict instance type.
Condition
Condition can restrict to specific instance types using ec2:InstanceType.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Action
To restrict to specific instance types, you need Effect (Allow), Action (ec2:RunInstances), and Condition (to specify instance type). Resource could be used but is not strictly required if you use Condition. Option A is needed to allow. Option C is needed for the action. Option D is needed to restrict. Option B is not required; you can use Condition to specify instance type instead of Resource. Option E is optional. Correct: A, C, D.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Action
Why this is correct
Action specifies ec2:RunInstances.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Principal
Why it's wrong here
Principal is not used in resource-based policies; in IAM user policy, the principal is implied.
Effect
Why this is correct
Effect must be Allow to grant the permission.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Resource
Why it's wrong here
Resource can be used but is not required; Condition can restrict instance type.
Condition
Why this is correct
Condition can restrict to specific instance types using ec2:InstanceType.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Data Security and Governance — This question tests Data Security and Governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Action — To restrict to specific instance types, you need Effect (Allow), Action (ec2:RunInstances), and Condition (to specify instance type). Resource could be used but is not strictly required if you use Condition. Option A is needed to allow. Option C is needed for the action. Option D is needed to restrict. Option B is not required; you can use Condition to specify instance type instead of Resource. Option E is optional. Correct: A, C, D.
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This DEA-C01 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 DEA-C01 exam.
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