- A
The CloudFormation stack is in a 'ROLLBACK_COMPLETE' state and cannot be updated.
Why wrong: This would cause a different error related to stack state.
- B
The CodeBuild project does not have access to the CodeCommit repository.
Why wrong: Repository access issues would appear in the source stage, not the deploy stage.
- C
The IAM role used by CodeBuild has expired credentials or insufficient permissions to call AWS CloudFormation.
Expired or invalid credentials result in a 'security token invalid' error.
- D
The SAM template is invalid and contains syntax errors.
Why wrong: Syntax errors would cause a build failure, not a token error.
Question 1,143 of 1,750
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 company uses AWS CodePipeline to deploy a serverless application using AWS SAM. The pipeline has a source stage from CodeCommit, a build stage that runs 'sam build', and a deploy stage that runs 'sam deploy --no-confirm-changeset'. The deploy stage fails with the error 'The security token included in the request is invalid.' What is the MOST likely cause?
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 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 IAM role used by CodeBuild has expired credentials or insufficient permissions to call AWS CloudFormation.
The error 'The security token included in the request is invalid' indicates that the AWS credentials used by CodeBuild to call the CloudFormation API are either expired or lack the necessary permissions. In a CodePipeline with a CodeBuild action, the build project assumes an IAM role to perform actions such as 'sam deploy', which internally calls CloudFormation. If that IAM role's temporary credentials have expired (e.g., due to a long-running build) or the role does not have the required CloudFormation permissions (e.g., cloudformation:CreateChangeSet, cloudformation:ExecuteChangeSet), the API call will fail with this exact error.
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.
- ✗
The CloudFormation stack is in a 'ROLLBACK_COMPLETE' state and cannot be updated.
Why it's wrong here
This would cause a different error related to stack state.
- ✗
The CodeBuild project does not have access to the CodeCommit repository.
Why it's wrong here
Repository access issues would appear in the source stage, not the deploy stage.
- ✓
The IAM role used by CodeBuild has expired credentials or insufficient permissions to call AWS CloudFormation.
Why this is correct
Expired or invalid credentials result in a 'security token invalid' error.
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.
- ✗
The SAM template is invalid and contains syntax errors.
Why it's wrong here
Syntax errors would cause a build failure, not a token error.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse credential expiration with permission errors or misattribute the error to the source repository (CodeCommit) or template syntax, rather than recognizing that the 'sam deploy' command makes CloudFormation API calls using the CodeBuild service role's temporary credentials.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, CodeBuild uses AWS Security Token Service (STS) to assume the IAM role specified in the project's service role. The temporary credentials obtained have a default lifetime of 1 hour (configurable up to 12 hours). If the build stage exceeds this duration, the credentials expire and subsequent AWS API calls (like CloudFormation's CreateChangeSet) fail with 'The security token included in the request is invalid'. Additionally, the IAM role must have a trust policy allowing CodeBuild to assume it, and the role's permissions must include cloudformation:CreateChangeSet, cloudformation:ExecuteChangeSet, and cloudformation:DescribeStacks for the target stack.
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.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DOP-C02 question test?
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: The IAM role used by CodeBuild has expired credentials or insufficient permissions to call AWS CloudFormation. — The error 'The security token included in the request is invalid' indicates that the AWS credentials used by CodeBuild to call the CloudFormation API are either expired or lack the necessary permissions. In a CodePipeline with a CodeBuild action, the build project assumes an IAM role to perform actions such as 'sam deploy', which internally calls CloudFormation. If that IAM role's temporary credentials have expired (e.g., due to a long-running build) or the role does not have the required CloudFormation permissions (e.g., cloudformation:CreateChangeSet, cloudformation:ExecuteChangeSet), the API call will fail with this exact error.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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