This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. 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 company's security team notices that an IAM user has permissions to terminate EC2 instances but should only be allowed to stop them. The current policy allows ec2:TerminateInstances. What is the most secure way to prevent termination while allowing stop?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add a Deny statement for ec2:TerminateInstances with a condition for the user's ARN.
Option B is correct because adding a Deny for ec2:TerminateInstances with a condition for the specific user explicitly blocks the action. Option A is wrong because changing the policy to allow ec2:StopInstances without removing ec2:TerminateInstances still allows termination. Option C is wrong because a service control policy (SCP) can also deny but is less targeted. Option D is wrong because attaching a Deny policy to the user is effective, but using a Deny in the same policy is simpler.
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
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Use an SCP to deny ec2:TerminateInstances for the entire account.
Why it's wrong here
Overly broad; affects all users.
✗
Modify the existing policy to include ec2:StopInstances and remove ec2:TerminateInstances.
Why it's wrong here
Removing the action is correct, but the question asks for the most secure way. Adding a Deny is more explicit.
✓
Add a Deny statement for ec2:TerminateInstances with a condition for the user's ARN.
Why this is correct
Explicitly denies termination for that user while allowing stop via other policies.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Attach a separate managed policy that denies ec2:TerminateInstances to the user.
Why it's wrong here
Could work but less direct than adding a Deny to the existing policy.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
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
How to think about this question
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.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
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
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.
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 DOP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Security and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add a Deny statement for ec2:TerminateInstances with a condition for the user's ARN. — Option B is correct because adding a Deny for ec2:TerminateInstances with a condition for the specific user explicitly blocks the action. Option A is wrong because changing the policy to allow ec2:StopInstances without removing ec2:TerminateInstances still allows termination. Option C is wrong because a service control policy (SCP) can also deny but is less targeted. Option D is wrong because attaching a Deny policy to the user is effective, but using a Deny in the same policy is simpler.
What should I do if I get this DOP-C02 question wrong?
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 DOP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Question Discussion
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