The answer is a bug in the Lambda function or an incorrect resource type configuration. When AWS Config custom rule evaluation results show NON_COMPLIANT for resources that actually meet the condition, the most common technical causes are a flawed evaluation logic in the custom Lambda function or the rule being scoped to a resource type that does not include EC2 instances, causing the rule to evaluate the wrong resource attributes. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of how custom rules interact with AWS Config’s evaluation triggers and resource scope—a frequent trap is assuming the rule is triggered correctly when it is actually misconfigured for the target resource type. Remember that change-triggered rules do not rely on CloudTrail or execution frequency, so focus on the Lambda code and the rule’s resource type scope. Memory tip: “Scope and Code” are the two places to check when tags exist but compliance fails.
DOP-C02 Configuration Management and IaC Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of configuration management and iac. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 uses AWS Config to evaluate resource compliance. They have a custom AWS Config rule that checks whether EC2 instances have a specific tag. The rule is triggered by configuration changes. The DevOps engineer notices that the rule evaluation results show 'NON_COMPLIANT' for some instances that actually have the tag. Which TWO could be causes? (Choose TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The Lambda function that evaluates the rule has a logic error
Options A and D are correct. A: The custom lambda function might have a bug. D: The AWS Config rule might not be using the correct resource type. Option B is wrong because AWS Config does not use CloudTrail for triggering. Option C is wrong because the rule's maximum execution frequency is not relevant for change-triggered rules. Option E is wrong because the IAM role for AWS Config might not have permission to invoke the Lambda function, but that would cause a different error.
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.
✗
The rule's maximum execution frequency is set to 24 hours
Why it's wrong here
Execution frequency is for periodic rules, not change-triggered.
✓
The Lambda function that evaluates the rule has a logic error
Why this is correct
A bug in the Lambda function can cause incorrect evaluations.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The rule is not being triggered by CloudTrail events
Why it's wrong here
AWS Config rules are triggered by configuration changes, not CloudTrail.
✓
The rule is configured to evaluate only for a specific resource type that does not include EC2
Why this is correct
If the rule is scoped to a different resource type, it may not evaluate EC2 correctly.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The AWS Config service role does not have permission to invoke the Lambda function
Why it's wrong here
This would cause an error, not a NON_COMPLIANT result.
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 DOP-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.
Configuration Management and IaC — This question tests Configuration Management and IaC — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The Lambda function that evaluates the rule has a logic error — Options A and D are correct. A: The custom lambda function might have a bug. D: The AWS Config rule might not be using the correct resource type. Option B is wrong because AWS Config does not use CloudTrail for triggering. Option C is wrong because the rule's maximum execution frequency is not relevant for change-triggered rules. Option E is wrong because the IAM role for AWS Config might not have permission to invoke the Lambda function, but that would cause a different error.
What should I do if I get this DOP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which DOP-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 →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company uses AWS Config to evaluate compliance of their AWS resources. They have a custom rule that checks whether EC2 instances have a specific tag. They notice that the rule is not triggering on existing instances. What is a possible reason?
hard
✓ A.The rule is not configured with a trigger type of 'Configuration changes' or 'Periodic'
B.AWS Config does not support custom rules
C.The Lambda function does not have permission to describe EC2 instances
D.The EC2 instances are not in the resource types being recorded by AWS Config
Why A: AWS Config custom rules evaluate resources only when they are created or changed, or during periodic evaluations. If the rule is not configured for periodic evaluation, it won't check existing resources until a change occurs. Option C is correct. Option A is incorrect because permissions are needed for the rule to invoke the Lambda function, but if it's not triggering at all, it's not a permission issue. Option B is incorrect because AWS Config supports custom rules with Lambda. Option D is incorrect because resource types must be recorded, but that is usually set up initially.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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This DOP-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 DOP-C02 exam.
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