SAA-C03 Design Secure Architectures Practice Question
A startup runs an API on Amazon EC2. The instance must read items from one DynamoDB table and upload logs to one S3 bucket. Platform engineers also need a way to create new application roles, but those roles must never exceed a predefined set of permissions. Which three actions should the architect take? Select three.
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates think storing access keys in a config file with rotation is acceptable, but AWS explicitly recommends using IAM roles for EC2 to avoid the security risks of long-lived static credentials.
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
✓
Attach an IAM role to the EC2 instance profile and remove long-lived access keys from the server.
Attaching an IAM role to the EC2 instance profile allows the instance to obtain temporary credentials via the instance metadata service (IMDS), eliminating the need to store long-lived access keys on the server. This follows the AWS security best practice of using roles for EC2 to securely access DynamoDB and S3 without managing static credentials.
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 an IAM role to the EC2 instance profile and remove long-lived access keys from the server.
Why this is correct
This gives the workload temporary credentials through the instance metadata service and avoids storing secrets on the host. It is the standard least-privilege pattern for EC2-based applications.
- ✗
Give the EC2 instance an IAM user with administrator access for simplicity.
Why it's wrong here
An IAM user with broad permissions creates long-lived credentials and unnecessary blast radius. It is the opposite of least privilege and is hard to audit safely.
- ✓
Scope the application policy to the exact DynamoDB table ARN and S3 bucket prefix.
Why this is correct
Restricting the policy to the specific table and bucket prefix limits what the application can reach. That keeps the workload functional while preventing access to unrelated data.
- ✗
Store the access keys in the application configuration file and rotate them later.
Why it's wrong here
Static keys in configuration files are easy to leak and are difficult to rotate cleanly. AWS roles are safer because temporary credentials are issued automatically.
- ✓
Use a permissions boundary for any IAM roles the platform team is allowed to create.
Why this is correct
A permissions boundary caps the maximum permissions a created role can ever receive. It is ideal for delegated administration when teams can create roles but must stay within guardrails.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
Go deeper
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SAA-C03 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 SAA-C03 exam.