This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security. 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 needs to allow an IAM user to stop and start EC2 instances but not terminate them. Which IAM policy effect and action combination should be used?
Allow ec2:StopInstances and ec2:StartInstances
Allows stop and start without termination.
Allow ec2:StopInstances, ec2:StartInstances, and ec2:TerminateInstances
Why wrong: Allows termination, which should be prevented.
Deny ec2:TerminateInstances
Why wrong: Deny alone is not sufficient; you need to allow stop/start first.
Allow ec2:StartInstances and ec2:TerminateInstances
Why wrong: Allows termination and lacks stop.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Allow ec2:StopInstances and ec2:StartInstances
Option A is correct because the policy should allow ec2:StopInstances and ec2:StartInstances, but not ec2:TerminateInstances. Option B is wrong because Deny would block all actions. Option C is wrong because it includes ec2:TerminateInstances. Option D is wrong because it also includes termination.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Allow ec2:StopInstances and ec2:StartInstances
Why this is correct
Allows stop and start without termination.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
Allow ec2:StopInstances, ec2:StartInstances, and ec2:TerminateInstances
Why it's wrong here
Allows termination, which should be prevented.
Deny ec2:TerminateInstances
Why it's wrong here
Deny alone is not sufficient; you need to allow stop/start first.
Allow ec2:StartInstances and ec2:TerminateInstances
Why it's wrong here
Allows termination and lacks stop.
Common exam traps
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DVA-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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FAQ
Security — This question tests Security — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
The correct answer is: Allow ec2:StopInstances and ec2:StartInstances — Option A is correct because the policy should allow ec2:StopInstances and ec2:StartInstances, but not ec2:TerminateInstances. Option B is wrong because Deny would block all actions. Option C is wrong because it includes ec2:TerminateInstances. Option D is wrong because it also includes termination.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DVA-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This DVA-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 DVA-C02 exam.
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