The answer is to check the permissions boundary on the CrossAccountDeployRole and add a boundary that allows CodeDeploy actions. This is correct because a permissions boundary acts as an additional layer of authorization that defines the maximum permissions a role can have, effectively overriding the role’s identity-based permissions policy if the boundary is more restrictive. Even though the CrossAccountDeployRole has a policy allowing codedeploy:* on all resources, a permissions boundary attached during the security audit is now blocking the codedeploy:CreateDeployment action, causing the cross-account CodePipeline deployment role to fail. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how permissions boundaries interact with cross-account IAM roles in multi-account strategies—a common trap is assuming the role’s own policy is sufficient without checking for boundaries. Remember: boundaries cap permissions, so always inspect them when a role’s policy seems correct but actions are denied. Memory tip: “Boundaries block, policies permit—check the cap before you panic.”
DOP-C02 SDLC Automation Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of sdlc automation. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 large enterprise uses a multi-account AWS strategy with a centralized DevOps account. The DevOps account hosts an AWS CodePipeline that deploys a critical application to production account (111111111111) using AWS CodeDeploy. The pipeline has three stages: Source (CodeCommit), Build (CodeBuild), and Deploy (CodeDeploy). The deploy stage uses a cross-account role (arn:aws:iam::111111111111:role/CrossAccountDeployRole) to perform the deployment. The trust policy on that role allows the DevOps account's CodePipeline service role (arn:aws:iam::222222222222:role/CodePipelineServiceRole) to assume it. The pipeline has been working for months, but after a recent security audit, the security team tightened permissions. Now the deploy stage fails with the error: 'User: arn:aws:sts::222222222222:assumed-role/CodePipelineServiceRole/AWS-CodePipeline-xxx is not authorized to perform: codedeploy:CreateDeployment on resource: arn:aws:codedeploy:us-east-1:111111111111:deploymentgroup:MyApp/MyDG'. The DevOps team has verified that the CrossAccountDeployRole has a permissions policy that allows 'codedeploy:*' on all resources. The CodePipelineServiceRole has a permissions policy that allows 'sts:AssumeRole' on the CrossAccountDeployRole. What is the most likely cause and what action should be taken to resolve the issue?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Check the permissions boundary on CrossAccountDeployRole and add a boundary that allows CodeDeploy actions.
Option C is correct because the error indicates that the assumed role (CrossAccountDeployRole) is not authorized to perform codedeploy:CreateDeployment, despite having a permissions policy that allows codedeploy:* on all resources. This typically occurs when a permissions boundary is attached to the role that restricts the effective permissions, overriding the permissions policy. Adding a permissions boundary that allows CodeDeploy actions resolves the issue by ensuring the role's effective permissions include the necessary CodeDeploy operations.
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.
✗
Add 'sts:AssumeRole' to the permissions policy of CodePipelineServiceRole.
Why it's wrong here
The service role already has that permission.
✗
Create the deployment group in the production account again to reset permissions.
Why it's wrong here
The deployment group exists; the error is about authorization.
✓
Check the permissions boundary on CrossAccountDeployRole and add a boundary that allows CodeDeploy actions.
Why this is correct
A permissions boundary can override the permissions policy and must explicitly allow required actions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Update the trust policy of CrossAccountDeployRole to include the DevOps account ID.
Why it's wrong here
The trust policy already allows the correct role.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume the error is due to missing sts:AssumeRole or trust policy misconfiguration, but the role was already assumed successfully (as shown by the assumed-role ARN in the error), so the real issue is a permissions boundary or service control policy limiting the role's effective permissions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Permissions boundaries in AWS IAM act as a maximum permission ceiling for a role or user, limiting the effective permissions even if the attached policies grant broader access. In this case, the CrossAccountDeployRole likely has a permissions boundary that explicitly denies or omits codedeploy:CreateDeployment, causing the authorization failure despite the inline policy allowing codedeploy:*. This is a common security hardening measure that can inadvertently break cross-account deployments if not properly configured.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
SDLC Automation — This question tests SDLC Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Check the permissions boundary on CrossAccountDeployRole and add a boundary that allows CodeDeploy actions. — Option C is correct because the error indicates that the assumed role (CrossAccountDeployRole) is not authorized to perform codedeploy:CreateDeployment, despite having a permissions policy that allows codedeploy:* on all resources. This typically occurs when a permissions boundary is attached to the role that restricts the effective permissions, overriding the permissions policy. Adding a permissions boundary that allows CodeDeploy actions resolves the issue by ensuring the role's effective permissions include the necessary CodeDeploy operations.
What should I do if I get this DOP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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