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 temporarily access an AWS account for 12 hours. The developer must not create long-term credentials. What should the developer use?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use AWS STS to generate temporary security credentials for a role.
IAM Security Token Service (STS) can generate temporary credentials with a custom expiration. By creating a role and allowing the user to assume it with a session duration of 12 hours, the requirement is met. Option A is wrong because IAM users have long-term credentials. Option C is wrong because resource-based policies alone don't grant cross-account access with temporary credentials. Option D is wrong because Cognito is for end users.
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.
✗
Create an IAM user with a password and access keys.
Why it's wrong here
IAM users have long-term credentials, which violates the requirement of no long-term credentials.
✓
Use AWS STS to generate temporary security credentials for a role.
Why this is correct
STS provides temporary credentials with a configurable expiration, ideal for time-limited access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Attach a resource-based policy to the account.
Why it's wrong here
Resource-based policies grant permissions to principals but do not produce temporary credentials.
✗
Use Amazon Cognito user pools to generate temporary access.
Why it's wrong here
Cognito user pools are for user sign-up/sign-in, not for IAM user temporary access.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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
How to think about this question
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.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which DVA-C02 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.
Security — This question tests Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use AWS STS to generate temporary security credentials for a role. — IAM Security Token Service (STS) can generate temporary credentials with a custom expiration. By creating a role and allowing the user to assume it with a session duration of 12 hours, the requirement is met. Option A is wrong because IAM users have long-term credentials. Option C is wrong because resource-based policies alone don't grant cross-account access with temporary credentials. Option D is wrong because Cognito is for end users.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which DVA-C02 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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
Question Discussion
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