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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
# IAM Policy for CodePipeline Service Role
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"codedeploy:CreateDeployment",
"codedeploy:GetDeployment",
"codedeploy:GetDeploymentGroup"
],
"Resource": "*"
},
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"ecs:DescribeServices"
],
"Resource": "arn:aws:ecs:us-east-1:123456789012:service/my-service"
}
]
}
Refer to the exhibit. A CodePipeline service role has this IAM policy attached. The pipeline's deploy stage uses CodeDeploy to perform an ECS blue/green deployment. The deployment fails with an access denied error. What is the MOST likely missing permission?
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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
# IAM Policy for CodePipeline Service Role
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"codedeploy:CreateDeployment",
"codedeploy:GetDeployment",
"codedeploy:GetDeploymentGroup"
],
"Resource": "*"
},
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"ecs:DescribeServices"
],
"Resource": "arn:aws:ecs:us-east-1:123456789012:service/my-service"
}
]
}
A
ecs:RegisterTaskDefinition
Why wrong: Registering task definitions is typically done in a build stage.
B
codedeploy:CreateDeployment
Why wrong: This is already allowed.
C
ecs:UpdateService
Required to update the service with a new task definition during deployment.
D
ecs:CreateService
Why wrong: Blue/green updates an existing service, it does not create one.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
ecs:UpdateService
In an ECS blue/green deployment via CodeDeploy, the CodePipeline service role must have permission to call ecs:UpdateService on the ECS service to trigger the deployment of the new task definition. Without this permission, CodeDeploy cannot update the ECS service to use the new task set, resulting in an access denied error. The other permissions are either already present or not directly required for the deployment action.
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.
✗
ecs:RegisterTaskDefinition
Why it's wrong here
Registering task definitions is typically done in a build stage.
✗
codedeploy:CreateDeployment
Why it's wrong here
This is already allowed.
✓
ecs:UpdateService
Why this is correct
Required to update the service with a new task definition during deployment.
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.
✗
ecs:CreateService
Why it's wrong here
Blue/green updates an existing service, it does not create one.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume the CodeDeploy deployment only needs codedeploy:CreateDeployment, but they miss that the service role must also have ecs:UpdateService to allow CodeDeploy to update the ECS service during the blue/green deployment.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
During an ECS blue/green deployment, CodeDeploy creates a new task set (green) and then calls ecs:UpdateService to shift traffic from the old task set (blue) to the new one. The ecs:UpdateService action is essential for modifying the service's task definition or desired count, and without it, the deployment cannot proceed. This permission is often overlooked because candidates assume the deployment only requires codedeploy:* permissions, but the service role must also include ecs:UpdateService on the specific ECS service resource.
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: ecs:UpdateService — In an ECS blue/green deployment via CodeDeploy, the CodePipeline service role must have permission to call ecs:UpdateService on the ECS service to trigger the deployment of the new task definition. Without this permission, CodeDeploy cannot update the ECS service to use the new task set, resulting in an access denied error. The other permissions are either already present or not directly required for the deployment action.
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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Question Discussion
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