The answer is GetItem and PutItem. These two DynamoDB actions are the precise IAM permissions required for reading and writing individual items in a table, as GetItem retrieves a single item by its primary key while PutItem creates or replaces an item. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between data plane operations that act on items and administrative operations that act on the table itself. A common trap is confusing GetItem with Scan or Query, or including DeleteTable or UpdateTable, which are reserved for schema and table lifecycle management. Remember the memory tip: “Get and Put for items, Delete and Update for the table.” This distinction is critical because a developer must grant only the least privilege needed for item-level access without risking accidental table deletion or schema changes.
DVA-C02 Security Practice Question
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 is creating an IAM policy to allow access to an Amazon DynamoDB table. The policy must allow the user to read and write items, but not to delete the table or modify its schema. Which TWO DynamoDB actions should be included in the policy?
Why wrong: Scan reads multiple items but is not required for reading; the requirement is read items, but Scan is still a read action. However, the question asks for the TWO actions specifically for reading and writing individual items. GetItem and PutItem are the best match.
C
GetItem
GetItem reads a single item from the table.
D
DeleteTable
Why wrong: DeleteTable would allow deleting the table, which is not desired.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
GetItem
GetItem and PutItem are the actions for reading and writing individual items. DeleteTable and UpdateTable are administrative actions that should not be allowed.
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.
✗
UpdateTable
Why it's wrong here
UpdateTable modifies the table schema.
✗
Scan
Why it's wrong here
Scan reads multiple items but is not required for reading; the requirement is read items, but Scan is still a read action. However, the question asks for the TWO actions specifically for reading and writing individual items. GetItem and PutItem are the best match.
✓
GetItem
Why this is correct
GetItem reads a single item from the table.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
DeleteTable
Why it's wrong here
DeleteTable would allow deleting the table, which is not desired.
✓
PutItem
Why this is correct
PutItem writes a single item to the table.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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: GetItem — GetItem and PutItem are the actions for reading and writing individual items. DeleteTable and UpdateTable are administrative actions that should not be allowed.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.