- A
Allow secretsmanager:GetSecretValue on all secrets: Resource "*".
Why wrong: This grants access to every secret in the account, which violates least privilege and is broader than required.
- B
Allow secretsmanager:GetSecretValue only for the specific secret ARN: Resource "arn:aws:secretsmanager:us-east-1:111122223333:secret:prod/dbPassword-AbCdEf".
The microservice only needs to call secretsmanager:GetSecretValue for that one secret. Scoping the action and resource to exactly that secret provides least-privilege access.
- C
Allow secretsmanager:DescribeSecret on the secret ARN, but not secretsmanager:GetSecretValue.
Why wrong: DescribeSecret returns metadata (for example, description and rotation status). It does not allow retrieving the secret value.
- D
Allow secretsmanager:GetSecretValue on all secrets with the prefix: Resource "arn:aws:secretsmanager:us-east-1:111122223333:secret:prod/*".
Why wrong: A prefix wildcard still allows access to multiple secrets under prod, which contradicts the requirement to retrieve exactly one secret value.
SAA-C03 Design Secure Architectures Practice Question
This SAA-C03 practice question tests your understanding of design secure architectures. 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 microservice runs on an EC2 instance using an instance role. It must retrieve exactly one secret value from AWS Secrets Manager. The secret ARN is arn:aws:secretsmanager:us-east-1:111122223333:secret:prod/dbPassword-AbCdEf. The secret is encrypted with the default AWS-managed Secrets Manager KMS key (alias/aws/secretsmanager). Which IAM policy statement provides the best least-privilege access?
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.
Clue:
"least"Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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
Allow secretsmanager:GetSecretValue only for the specific secret ARN: Resource "arn:aws:secretsmanager:us-east-1:111122223333:secret:prod/dbPassword-AbCdEf".
Option B is correct because it grants the least-privilege access by restricting the secretsmanager:GetSecretValue action to the exact secret ARN required. Since the secret is encrypted with the default AWS-managed KMS key (alias/aws/secretsmanager), no additional kms:Decrypt permission is needed because Secrets Manager automatically handles decryption with the default key when using GetSecretValue. This policy ensures the microservice can retrieve only the intended secret and no others.
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.
- ✗
Allow secretsmanager:GetSecretValue on all secrets: Resource "*".
Why it's wrong here
This grants access to every secret in the account, which violates least privilege and is broader than required.
- ✓
Allow secretsmanager:GetSecretValue only for the specific secret ARN: Resource "arn:aws:secretsmanager:us-east-1:111122223333:secret:prod/dbPassword-AbCdEf".
Why this is correct
The microservice only needs to call secretsmanager:GetSecretValue for that one secret. Scoping the action and resource to exactly that secret provides least-privilege access.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Allow secretsmanager:DescribeSecret on the secret ARN, but not secretsmanager:GetSecretValue.
Why it's wrong here
DescribeSecret returns metadata (for example, description and rotation status). It does not allow retrieving the secret value.
- ✗
Allow secretsmanager:GetSecretValue on all secrets with the prefix: Resource "arn:aws:secretsmanager:us-east-1:111122223333:secret:prod/*".
Why it's wrong here
A prefix wildcard still allows access to multiple secrets under prod, which contradicts the requirement to retrieve exactly one secret value.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume they need to add a separate kms:Decrypt permission for the default KMS key, or they mistakenly think DescribeSecret returns the secret value, leading them to choose Option C.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When using the default AWS-managed Secrets Manager KMS key (alias/aws/secretsmanager), the service automatically grants the necessary kms:Decrypt permission to the principal calling GetSecretValue, so no explicit KMS policy is required. However, if a customer-managed KMS key is used, you must also add a kms:Decrypt permission to the IAM policy. The secret ARN includes a random 6-character suffix (e.g., AbCdEf) to ensure uniqueness, so wildcard patterns like prod/* can inadvertently match unintended secrets if naming conventions are not strictly enforced.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Design Secure Architectures — This question tests Design Secure Architectures — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Allow secretsmanager:GetSecretValue only for the specific secret ARN: Resource "arn:aws:secretsmanager:us-east-1:111122223333:secret:prod/dbPassword-AbCdEf". — Option B is correct because it grants the least-privilege access by restricting the secretsmanager:GetSecretValue action to the exact secret ARN required. Since the secret is encrypted with the default AWS-managed KMS key (alias/aws/secretsmanager), no additional kms:Decrypt permission is needed because Secrets Manager automatically handles decryption with the default key when using GetSecretValue. This policy ensures the microservice can retrieve only the intended secret and no others.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 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: "best", "least". 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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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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