Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
Account Y provides a role named AnalyticsReadOnly to engineers in Account X. The role trust policy currently allows sts:AssumeRole from the Account X principal. A new security requirement states that only STS sessions created with MFA are allowed to assume the role. Which trust policy condition is the best choice to enforce MFA for sts:AssumeRole?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Best answer
Add a condition "Bool": { "aws:MultiFactorAuthPresent": "true" } in the role trust policy for the sts:AssumeRole action.
aws:MultiFactorAuthPresent is a condition key designed to reflect whether MFA was used when establishing the STS session. By requiring it to be true in the trust policy, STS denies AssumeRole when the caller did not authenticate with MFA.
B
Distractor review
Add a condition "StringEquals": { "aws:username": "mfa-user" } in the IAM policy attached to the role.
Conditions on aws:username in the role’s attached identity policy do not control the trust decision. The trust policy is what authorizes (or denies) AssumeRole; identity-policy username conditions are not a reliable gate for who can establish the STS session.
C
Distractor review
Add a condition requiring "sts:ExternalId" to equal a fixed value in the trust policy.
ExternalId helps mitigate the confused-deputy problem, but it does not prove that MFA was used to create the STS session. The MFA requirement is about authentication strength, not about ExternalId values.
D
Distractor review
Add a condition "Bool": { "aws:SecureTransport": "true" } in the trust policy to require HTTPS.
aws:SecureTransport is about using HTTPS/TLS, which is unrelated to whether MFA occurred. A request can be over HTTPS without MFA authentication, so this does not satisfy the requirement.
Common exam trap
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.
Technical deep dive
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add a condition "Bool": { "aws:MultiFactorAuthPresent": "true" } in the role trust policy for the sts:AssumeRole action. — To enforce that only STS sessions created with MFA can assume the role, the trust policy must require a claim that indicates MFA was actually used during session creation. The condition key aws:MultiFactorAuthPresent=true is specifically intended for this purpose. When it is set in the trust policy, STS denies sts:AssumeRole requests from principals that did not use MFA, even if they otherwise match the trusted principal. Username conditions in an identity policy do not control the trust decision for AssumeRole. ExternalId mitigates confused-deputy risks but is not a signal for MFA usage. SecureTransport enforces TLS but does not indicate authentication method (MFA vs non-MFA).
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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