The answer is to attach an IAM policy to all users denying console access without MFA and to use an AWS Organizations Service Control Policy (SCP) with the `aws:MultiFactorAuthPresent` condition key set to false. The SCP is the critical component because it enforces MFA across all AWS accounts centrally, blocking any API action—including console login—for principals that have not authenticated with MFA, and it cannot be overridden by local account administrators. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this tests your understanding of centralized governance versus user-level IAM policies; a common trap is thinking a simple IAM policy on users is sufficient, but SCPs provide the unmodifiable guard across the entire organization. Remember the mnemonic “SCP stops sneaky admins”—only an SCP can enforce MFA across all accounts, even against rogue account admins.
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions for organizational complexity. 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 company has multiple AWS accounts. They want to enforce that all IAM users must use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to access the AWS Management Console. Which TWO steps should be taken to enforce this across all accounts?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Attach an SCP that denies all AWS actions if the aws:MultiFactorAuthPresent condition is false.
Option B is correct because AWS Organizations Service Control Policies (SCPs) can be applied to all accounts in the organization to centrally enforce that any API action is denied unless the request includes MFA. By using the `aws:MultiFactorAuthPresent` condition key set to `false`, the SCP effectively blocks all AWS actions (including console login) for any principal that has not authenticated with MFA. This ensures a blanket, unmodifiable guard across all member accounts, even preventing account administrators from bypassing the requirement.
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.
✗
Use AWS CloudTrail to detect console logins without MFA and send alerts.
Why it's wrong here
This is detective, not preventive.
✓
Attach an SCP that denies all AWS actions if the aws:MultiFactorAuthPresent condition is false.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse detection (CloudTrail) with enforcement (SCP or IAM policy), or they assume that assigning an MFA device is sufficient without a corresponding deny policy, leading them to pick options that only monitor or partially enforce the requirement.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `aws:MultiFactorAuthPresent` condition key is a boolean that is `true` only when the caller authenticated using a multi-factor authentication device. In an SCP, this key can be used to deny all actions (`Effect: Deny`) when the condition is `false`, effectively locking out any request that does not include MFA. Note that the root user of an account cannot be restricted by SCPs, but the root user already requires MFA for sensitive operations by default. In a real-world scenario, this SCP is often combined with an IAM policy that allows users to manage their own MFA devices, ensuring users can self-enroll without breaking the enforcement.
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.
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — This question tests Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Attach an SCP that denies all AWS actions if the aws:MultiFactorAuthPresent condition is false. — Option B is correct because AWS Organizations Service Control Policies (SCPs) can be applied to all accounts in the organization to centrally enforce that any API action is denied unless the request includes MFA. By using the `aws:MultiFactorAuthPresent` condition key set to `false`, the SCP effectively blocks all AWS actions (including console login) for any principal that has not authenticated with MFA. This ensures a blanket, unmodifiable guard across all member accounts, even preventing account administrators from bypassing the requirement.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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