The answer is to create an IAM role with a policy that allows DynamoDB read actions, and attach the role to the Lambda function. This is the best practice because it follows the principle of least privilege and leverages IAM roles as the secure, recommended method for granting permissions to AWS services like Lambda, which assume the role at runtime to access DynamoDB. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of service-linked IAM roles versus resource-based policies or hardcoded credentials—a common trap is confusing resource-based policies (used for cross-account access) with the same-account role assumption required here. Remember that Lambda functions never hold policies directly; they assume a role. For a quick memory tip: think "Role for the Goal"—if a Lambda needs to read a DynamoDB table, create a dedicated IAM role with the read-only policy and attach it to the function’s execution role configuration.
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 needs to give a Lambda function read-only access to a DynamoDB table. What is the BEST practice to grant this permission?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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 a policy that allows DynamoDB read actions, and attach the role to the Lambda function.
Creating an IAM role with the required policy and attaching it to the Lambda function is the best practice. Option A is correct. Option B is wrong because attaching policies to Lambda functions directly is not supported. Option C is wrong because hardcoding credentials is insecure. Option D is wrong because using the Lambda function's ARN as a principal in a resource-based policy is for cross-account access, not for the same account.
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.
✗
Attach the policy directly to the Lambda function's configuration.
Why it's wrong here
Policies are attached to IAM entities (users, groups, roles), not directly to Lambda functions.
✓
Create an IAM role with a policy that allows DynamoDB read actions, and attach the role to the Lambda function.
Why this is correct
This follows the principle of least privilege and uses temporary credentials.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Store the AWS access keys in environment variables of the Lambda function.
Why it's wrong here
Hardcoding credentials is insecure.
✗
Use a DynamoDB resource-based policy that grants access to the Lambda function's ARN.
Why it's wrong here
DynamoDB does not support resource-based policies; IAM roles are used.
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.
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 a policy that allows DynamoDB read actions, and attach the role to the Lambda function. — Creating an IAM role with the required policy and attaching it to the Lambda function is the best practice. Option A is correct. Option B is wrong because attaching policies to Lambda functions directly is not supported. Option C is wrong because hardcoding credentials is insecure. Option D is wrong because using the Lambda function's ARN as a principal in a resource-based policy is for cross-account access, not for the same account.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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