- A
TOKEN authorizer with the token passed in the Authorization header.
A TOKEN authorizer is the simplest and most appropriate choice for JWT token validation. It receives the token as a string and returns a policy. This matches the requirement.
- B
REQUEST authorizer with the token in a custom header.
Why wrong: A REQUEST authorizer can use multiple parameters (headers, query strings, etc.), but for a simple JWT token, a TOKEN authorizer is more straightforward and efficient. Using REQUEST is possible but not the best fit.
- C
Use Amazon Cognito User Pools as the authorizer.
Why wrong: Cognito User Pools can be used directly as an API Gateway authorizer without custom Lambda code if the token is issued by Cognito. However, the requirement specifies a Lambda authorizer that decodes the JWT, implying a custom authorizer is needed.
- D
Use a resource policy to allow or deny access based on the JWT token.
Why wrong: Resource policies control access at the API level based on source IP, account, etc. They cannot inspect JWT tokens to make authorisation decisions.
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 using Amazon API Gateway with a Lambda authorizer to control access to an API. The authorizer function needs to decode a JWT token from the request header and return an IAM policy. Which type of Lambda authorizer should be used?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
TOKEN authorizer with the token passed in the Authorization header.
A TOKEN authorizer is designed to receive a JWT or OAuth token in the Authorization header and pass it directly to the Lambda function for validation. The Lambda function then decodes the token and returns an IAM policy document to allow or deny the API request. This is the correct choice because the question explicitly states the token is in the request header and needs to be decoded, which matches the TOKEN authorizer's behavior of forwarding the raw token value.
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.
- ✓
TOKEN authorizer with the token passed in the Authorization header.
Why this is correct
A TOKEN authorizer is the simplest and most appropriate choice for JWT token validation. It receives the token as a string and returns a policy. This matches the requirement.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
REQUEST authorizer with the token in a custom header.
Why it's wrong here
A REQUEST authorizer can use multiple parameters (headers, query strings, etc.), but for a simple JWT token, a TOKEN authorizer is more straightforward and efficient. Using REQUEST is possible but not the best fit.
- ✗
Use Amazon Cognito User Pools as the authorizer.
Why it's wrong here
Cognito User Pools can be used directly as an API Gateway authorizer without custom Lambda code if the token is issued by Cognito. However, the requirement specifies a Lambda authorizer that decodes the JWT, implying a custom authorizer is needed.
- ✗
Use a resource policy to allow or deny access based on the JWT token.
Why it's wrong here
Resource policies control access at the API level based on source IP, account, etc. They cannot inspect JWT tokens to make authorisation decisions.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse the TOKEN authorizer (which passes only the token) with the REQUEST authorizer (which passes the full request), assuming that decoding a JWT requires access to other request parameters, when in fact the token alone is sufficient for validation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, a TOKEN authorizer extracts the value of the Authorization header (or a custom header if configured) and passes it as the 'authorizationToken' field in the Lambda event. The Lambda function must return an IAM policy document with an effect (Allow/Deny) and a resource ARN, which API Gateway caches for up to 3600 seconds by default. A common real-world scenario is using a TOKEN authorizer with a third-party IdP (e.g., Auth0 or Okta) where the Lambda function validates the JWT signature using the IdP's public key.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DVA-C02 question test?
Development with AWS Services — This question tests Development with AWS Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: TOKEN authorizer with the token passed in the Authorization header. — A TOKEN authorizer is designed to receive a JWT or OAuth token in the Authorization header and pass it directly to the Lambda function for validation. The Lambda function then decodes the token and returns an IAM policy document to allow or deny the API request. This is the correct choice because the question explicitly states the token is in the request header and needs to be decoded, which matches the TOKEN authorizer's behavior of forwarding the raw token value.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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