Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
Exhibit
CloudTrail event for a newly created role:
{
"eventSource": "iam.amazonaws.com",
"eventName": "CreateRole",
"requestParameters": {
"roleName": "AppDeployRole",
"permissionsBoundary": null,
"assumeRolePolicyDocument": "..."
},
"userIdentity": {
"arn": "arn:aws:sts::111122223333:assumed-role/AutomationRole/ci-run-9841"
}
}
Current guardrails:
- Developers can call iam:CreateRole
- The automation tool sometimes omits the permissions boundary field
- The organization uses AWS Organizations with multiple member accountsBased on the exhibit, an automation pipeline in several member accounts creates IAM roles for application deployments. Security says no future role may exceed the approved boundary arn:aws:iam::123456789012:policy/DeployBoundary, even if someone later attaches AdministratorAccess. What should you implement to enforce this across the organization?
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
Distractor review
Attach DeployBoundary to the automation role only, because that automatically forces every created role to inherit the same boundary.
A boundary on the creator role does not automatically propagate to newly created roles. The new role must either be created with the boundary or be blocked unless it includes the approved boundary. Creator boundaries and target-role boundaries are separate controls.
B
Distractor review
Create an SCP that denies iam:CreateRole and iam:PutRolePermissionsBoundary unless aws:RequestTag equals DeployBoundary.
Request tags are useful for tagging governance, but they do not validate which permissions boundary is attached to the new role. The enforcement must check the permissions boundary parameter or the boundary ARN condition, not a general request tag.
C
Best answer
Create an SCP that denies iam:CreateRole unless iam:PermissionsBoundary equals arn:aws:iam::123456789012:policy/DeployBoundary, and also deny removing that boundary from created roles.
This is the strongest organization-wide enforcement. The SCP prevents role creation unless the approved permissions boundary is attached, and it can also prevent boundary removal later. That ensures the maximum effective permissions for all created roles remain capped, even if someone attaches a broader identity policy afterward.
D
Distractor review
Use AWS Access Analyzer to automatically attach the approved boundary whenever a role is created without one.
Access Analyzer is a detection and analysis service, not an enforcement mechanism that modifies IAM resources. It can help identify overly broad access, but it cannot automatically attach permissions boundaries to IAM roles during creation.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
- The first matching ACL entry is used.
- There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
- Check inbound versus outbound direction.
- Read the ACL from top to bottom.
- Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A team needs to distribute TCP traffic (not HTTP) across multiple services. The services must see the original client source IP for auditing. Which AWS load balancer is the best fit?
Question 2
A team wants to run containerized services with AWS-managed orchestration and autoscaling. They do NOT require Kubernetes compatibility. Which AWS service choice is most appropriate to meet these goals?
Question 3
A solutions architect is designing an S3 bucket for a IoT ingestion API. The objects must never be publicly accessible, even if a developer later adds an overly broad bucket policy. What should the architect configure? The design must avoid adding custom operational scripts.
Question 4
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Question 5
A team wants to delegate IAM management to developers, but must ensure developers can never grant themselves permissions beyond a specific limit. Which AWS mechanism best matches this requirement?
Question 6
A solutions architect is designing an S3 bucket for a healthcare document service. The objects must never be publicly accessible, even if a developer later adds an overly broad bucket policy. What should the architect configure?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an SCP that denies iam:CreateRole unless iam:PermissionsBoundary equals arn:aws:iam::123456789012:policy/DeployBoundary, and also deny removing that boundary from created roles. — An SCP is the right org-wide control because it applies to every principal in the affected accounts and can block creation unless the approved permissions boundary is present. That means the maximum permission set remains capped regardless of later identity-policy changes. The policy should also prevent boundary removal, so the control remains effective after role creation. This is the correct way to enforce a mandatory boundary in AWS Organizations. A boundary on the automation role does not constrain the new role's own boundary. Request tags do not validate permissions-boundary attachment. Access Analyzer is only for visibility and findings, not for enforcing or auto-remediating IAM creation behavior. The control must be preventative and organization-wide, which is why the SCP approach is correct.
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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