DOP-C02 Incident and Event Response Practice Question
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
```json
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"ec2:DescribeInstances",
"ec2:StartInstances",
"ec2:StopInstances"
],
"Resource": "*",
"Condition": {
"StringEquals": {
"ec2:ResourceTag/Environment": "Production"
}
}
}
]
}
```An IAM policy is attached to a role used by an operations team. The team reports that they are unable to start or stop EC2 instances tagged with Environment=Production. Other instances can be described. What is the MOST likely reason for this failure?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates assume all EC2 actions support resource-level condition keys like `ec2:ResourceTag`, but AWS explicitly restricts tag-based conditions to specific actions, and `ec2:StartInstances` and `ec2:StopInstances` are not among them.
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
✓
The condition key ec2:ResourceTag/Environment is not valid for ec2:StartInstances and ec2:StopInstances.
The `ec2:ResourceTag` condition key is not supported for the `ec2:StartInstances` and `ec2:StopInstances` actions in IAM policy evaluation. AWS documentation explicitly states that these actions do not support resource-level permissions based on tags; they only support the `ec2:ResourceTag` condition key for certain read-only or tagging actions. Therefore, the condition in the policy cannot be evaluated, causing the operations team to fail when attempting to start or stop Production-tagged instances.
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 condition key ec2:ResourceTag/Environment is not valid for ec2:StartInstances and ec2:StopInstances.
Why this is correct
These actions do not support resource-level conditions; they require request-based conditions.
- ✗
The role does not have permission to describe instances, so the condition cannot be evaluated.
Why it's wrong here
DescribeInstances works, so the condition is evaluated.
- ✗
The policy's Resource element is set to '*' and must be restricted to specific instance ARNs.
Why it's wrong here
Resource '*' is acceptable for these actions.
- ✗
The policy does not include the ec2:RebootInstances action.
Why it's wrong here
Missing actions are not the issue; the allowed actions fail.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.