DVA-C02 Development with AWS Services Practice Question
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of development with aws services. 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 developer is building a serverless application using AWS Lambda. The function needs to access a private S3 bucket in the same AWS account. What is the BEST way to grant the Lambda function access to the bucket?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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 execution role with an S3 access policy and attach it to the Lambda function.
Option A is correct because the Lambda execution role can be attached to the function and include an IAM policy granting access to the S3 bucket. This follows the principle of least privilege and avoids hardcoding credentials. Option B is wrong because bucket policies are resource-based and not attached to functions. Option C is wrong because environment variables would expose credentials. Option D is wrong because Lambda does not have an inline policy property - policies are attached via roles.
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.
✓
Create an IAM execution role with an S3 access policy and attach it to the Lambda function.
Why this is correct
Correct: The execution role is the standard way to grant permissions to Lambda.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✗
Store AWS credentials in environment variables and use them in the function code.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Hardcoding credentials is insecure and not a best practice.
✗
Attach an inline IAM policy directly to the Lambda function.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Lambda uses roles, not direct policy attachment.
✗
Add a bucket policy to the S3 bucket allowing the Lambda function's ARN.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Bucket policy is for cross-account access; same account uses execution role.
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 DVA-C02 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Development with AWS Services — This question tests Development with AWS Services — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an IAM execution role with an S3 access policy and attach it to the Lambda function. — Option A is correct because the Lambda execution role can be attached to the function and include an IAM policy granting access to the S3 bucket. This follows the principle of least privilege and avoids hardcoding credentials. Option B is wrong because bucket policies are resource-based and not attached to functions. Option C is wrong because environment variables would expose credentials. Option D is wrong because Lambda does not have an inline policy property - policies are attached via roles.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related DVA-C02 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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