- A
Set AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID and AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY environment variables in the AMI.
Why wrong: Environment variables can be read by processes and are not as secure as temporary credentials.
- B
Create an IAM role with the required permissions and attach it to the EC2 instance as an instance profile.
Instance profiles provide automatic rotation of temporary credentials and are the recommended best practice.
- C
Store AWS access keys in the EC2 user data script.
Why wrong: User data is visible to anyone with access to the instance metadata, and keys can be exposed.
- D
Retrieve the credentials from AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store using a custom script.
Why wrong: While more secure than static keys, it's not the best practice; instance profiles are simpler and more secure.
Quick Answer
The answer is to create an IAM role with the required permissions and attach it to the EC2 instance as an instance profile. This is correct because the IAM role leverages AWS Security Token Service (STS) to issue temporary, automatically rotated credentials to the EC2 instance, eliminating the need to hardcode long-term access keys. When you grant an EC2 instance read-only access to an S3 bucket using an instance profile, the instance securely assumes the role at launch, adhering to the principle of least privilege. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of secure credential delivery versus legacy methods like storing keys on the instance; a common trap is choosing an IAM user with access keys, which violates security best practices. Remember the memory tip: “Role, not key—STS keeps the secret free.”
DOP-C02 Security and Compliance Practice Question
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 developer wants to grant an EC2 instance read-only access to a specific S3 bucket. Which AWS mechanism should they use to securely provide credentials to the instance?
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
Create an IAM role with the required permissions and attach it to the EC2 instance as an instance profile.
Option B is correct because IAM roles with instance profiles provide temporary, automatically rotated credentials to EC2 instances via the AWS STS service. This eliminates the need to hardcode or store long-term access keys on the instance, adhering to the principle of least privilege and improving security posture.
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.
- ✗
Set AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID and AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY environment variables in the AMI.
Why it's wrong here
Environment variables can be read by processes and are not as secure as temporary credentials.
- ✓
Create an IAM role with the required permissions and attach it to the EC2 instance as an instance profile.
Why this is correct
Instance profiles provide automatic rotation of temporary credentials and are the recommended best practice.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Store AWS access keys in the EC2 user data script.
Why it's wrong here
User data is visible to anyone with access to the instance metadata, and keys can be exposed.
- ✗
Retrieve the credentials from AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store using a custom script.
Why it's wrong here
While more secure than static keys, it's not the best practice; instance profiles are simpler and more secure.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think storing credentials in user data or an AMI is acceptable for automation, but the exam emphasizes that any static, long-term credentials on an instance are insecure and violate AWS best practices, whereas IAM roles provide secure, temporary, and automatically rotated credentials.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When an IAM role is attached as an instance profile, the EC2 instance accesses the instance metadata service (IMDS) at http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/iam/security-credentials/role-name to retrieve temporary AWS credentials (access key, secret key, and session token) issued by AWS STS. These credentials are automatically rotated before expiration (typically every 6 hours), and the AWS SDKs and CLI handle the refresh transparently via the default credential provider chain, ensuring continuous access without manual intervention.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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.
- →
Security and Compliance — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Security and Compliance practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All DOP-C02 questions
1,740 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
DOP-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related DOP-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Configuration Management and IaC practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to Configuration Management and IaC.
Resilient Cloud Solutions practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to Resilient Cloud Solutions.
Monitoring and Logging practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to Monitoring and Logging.
Incident and Event Response practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to Incident and Event Response.
Security and Compliance practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to Security and Compliance.
SDLC Automation practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to SDLC Automation.
DOP-C02 fundamentals practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to DOP-C02 fundamentals.
DOP-C02 scenario practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to DOP-C02 scenario.
DOP-C02 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to DOP-C02 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free DOP-C02 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DOP-C02 question test?
Security and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an IAM role with the required permissions and attach it to the EC2 instance as an instance profile. — Option B is correct because IAM roles with instance profiles provide temporary, automatically rotated credentials to EC2 instances via the AWS STS service. This eliminates the need to hardcode or store long-term access keys on the instance, adhering to the principle of least privilege and improving security posture.
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.
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 →
Keep practising
More DOP-C02 practice questions
- A company uses AWS CodePipeline with a multi-branch strategy. A new feature branch triggers a pipeline that runs unit te…
- A development team uses AWS CodeBuild to compile a Java application and run unit tests. The build takes 30 minutes, but…
- A company uses AWS CodePipeline with multiple stages: Source (Amazon S3), Build (AWS CodeBuild), and Deploy (AWS CodeDep…
- A company uses AWS CodeCommit for source control. Developers frequently push large binary files (e.g., compiled JARs) to…
- An organization uses AWS CodePipeline to orchestrate deployments to multiple environments (dev, test, prod). Each enviro…
- A company uses AWS Key Management Service (KMS) to encrypt data at rest in Amazon S3. The security team wants to ensure…
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.