- A
Allow secretsmanager:GetSecretValue on the specific secret ARN only.
For a read-only use case where the secret ARN is already known, the minimum required Secrets Manager action is secretsmanager:GetSecretValue. Scoping the resource to only that secret ARN minimizes blast radius if the role is compromised.
- B
Allow secretsmanager:* on all resources in the account.
Why wrong: Using secretsmanager:* grants broad permissions including administrative and write capabilities, violating least privilege and increasing the impact of credential compromise.
- C
Allow secretsmanager:ListSecrets so the service can discover the secret ARN at runtime.
Why wrong: ListSecrets is unnecessary when the secret ARN is already configured. It also exposes additional secret metadata and expands the permission set beyond what the described behavior requires.
- D
Allow secretsmanager:PutSecretValue so the service can retrieve and update the secret value.
Why wrong: PutSecretValue is a write permission and is not required for read-only retrieval. Granting it increases risk without supporting the stated requirement.
Quick Answer
The answer is to allow only `secretsmanager:GetSecretValue` on the specific secret ARN. This is correct because the principle of least privilege dictates granting exactly the permissions needed and nothing more; since the service only requires reading a single secret value, restricting the action to `GetSecretValue` and scoping the resource to that secret’s ARN eliminates any ability to list, rotate, or modify secrets. On the SAA-C03 exam, this scenario tests your ability to avoid overly broad wildcard permissions—a common trap is adding `secretsmanager:ListSecrets` or using a wildcard resource ARN, which violates least privilege. Remember that when the secret uses the AWS-managed KMS key for Secrets Manager, no separate KMS `Decrypt` permission is needed, as the key policy already grants access to the Secrets Manager service. A helpful memory tip: “Get just one, list none, and skip the key.”
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 containerized service needs to read exactly one secret value from AWS Secrets Manager. The secret’s ARN is already known, and the secret is encrypted with the AWS-managed KMS key for Secrets Manager, so no separate KMS permissions are needed for this question. The service does not need to list secrets, create secrets, rotate them, or write updates. What is the most least-privilege IAM permission statement to grant the service role?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
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 on the specific secret ARN only.
Option A is correct because the service only needs to read a single secret value, and the least-privilege permission is to allow only the `secretsmanager:GetSecretValue` action on that specific secret's ARN. This grants exactly the required read access without any additional capabilities, adhering to the principle of least privilege. Since the secret is encrypted with the AWS-managed KMS key for Secrets Manager, no separate KMS permissions are needed, as the key policy automatically grants access to the Secrets Manager service.
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 the specific secret ARN only.
Why this is correct
For a read-only use case where the secret ARN is already known, the minimum required Secrets Manager action is secretsmanager:GetSecretValue. Scoping the resource to only that secret ARN minimizes blast radius if the role is compromised.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Allow secretsmanager:* on all resources in the account.
Why it's wrong here
Using secretsmanager:* grants broad permissions including administrative and write capabilities, violating least privilege and increasing the impact of credential compromise.
- ✗
Allow secretsmanager:ListSecrets so the service can discover the secret ARN at runtime.
Why it's wrong here
ListSecrets is unnecessary when the secret ARN is already configured. It also exposes additional secret metadata and expands the permission set beyond what the described behavior requires.
- ✗
Allow secretsmanager:PutSecretValue so the service can retrieve and update the secret value.
Why it's wrong here
PutSecretValue is a write permission and is not required for read-only retrieval. Granting it increases risk without supporting the stated requirement.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose a broader permission like `secretsmanager:*` or `secretsmanager:ListSecrets` because they confuse the need to discover the secret with the need to read it, or they overlook that the ARN is already known, making list actions unnecessary.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, `GetSecretValue` retrieves the secret value by decrypting it using the KMS key associated with the secret; the AWS-managed key (aws/secretsmanager) has a key policy that allows Secrets Manager to decrypt on behalf of authorized IAM principals. A real-world scenario where this matters is in a microservices architecture where each service has its own IAM role with a policy scoped to its specific secret ARN, preventing a compromised service from accessing other secrets. The `secretsmanager:GetSecretValue` action returns the secret value in plaintext only if the caller has the necessary KMS decrypt permissions, but with the AWS-managed key, those permissions are implicitly granted via the Secrets Manager service.
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.
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 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 on the specific secret ARN only. — Option A is correct because the service only needs to read a single secret value, and the least-privilege permission is to allow only the `secretsmanager:GetSecretValue` action on that specific secret's ARN. This grants exactly the required read access without any additional capabilities, adhering to the principle of least privilege. Since the secret is encrypted with the AWS-managed KMS key for Secrets Manager, no separate KMS permissions are needed, as the key policy automatically grants access to the Secrets Manager service.
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: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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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