The correct approach is to use AWS Firewall Manager to create a security group policy that defines the rules and apply it across all accounts, as Firewall Manager will automatically create and manage the required security groups. This works because Firewall Manager operates as a central policy engine within AWS Organizations, allowing you to define a common security group baseline—such as blocking ports from 0.0.0.0/0—and then enforce that policy across every account and resource in the organization without manual intervention. On the SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the difference between detective controls (like AWS Config rules that only report violations) and preventive enforcement; a common trap is choosing a solution that merely audits or alerts rather than actively remediates. Remember the key distinction: Firewall Manager enforces by creating and attaching security groups, while Config only detects drift. Memory tip: “Firewall Manager builds the fence; Config just rings the bell.”
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 is using AWS Organizations and wants to centralize the management of Amazon EC2 instance security groups. The security team needs to enforce that certain ports are not open to the internet across all accounts. The company currently uses AWS Firewall Manager. Which approach should the security team use to enforce this policy?
Use AWS Config rules to detect non-compliant security groups and trigger a Lambda function to remediate.
Why wrong: This is reactive and requires per-account setup.
B
Use AWS Firewall Manager to create a security group policy that defines rules, and apply it across all accounts. Firewall Manager will automatically create and manage security groups.
Firewall Manager can enforce security group rules centrally.
C
Use AWS Firewall Manager to audit security groups against a baseline policy and generate reports.
Why wrong: Audit-only does not enforce.
D
Use an SCP to deny ec2:AuthorizeSecurityGroupIngress for ports that should not be open.
Why wrong: SCPs cannot manage security group content.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use AWS Firewall Manager to create a security group policy that defines rules, and apply it across all accounts. Firewall Manager will automatically create and manage security groups.
AWS Firewall Manager can centrally create, apply, and manage security group policies across all accounts in an AWS Organization. By defining a security group policy with rules that block specific ports from 0.0.0.0/0, Firewall Manager automatically creates the required security groups and attaches them to the designated resources, ensuring compliance without manual intervention. This approach directly enforces the policy rather than just detecting or reporting violations.
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 Config rules to detect non-compliant security groups and trigger a Lambda function to remediate.
Why it's wrong here
This is reactive and requires per-account setup.
✓
Use AWS Firewall Manager to create a security group policy that defines rules, and apply it across all accounts. Firewall Manager will automatically create and manage security groups.
Why this is correct
Firewall Manager can enforce security group rules centrally.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use AWS Firewall Manager to audit security groups against a baseline policy and generate reports.
Why it's wrong here
Audit-only does not enforce.
✗
Use an SCP to deny ec2:AuthorizeSecurityGroupIngress for ports that should not be open.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs cannot manage security group content.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse AWS Firewall Manager's audit-only mode (which generates reports) with its enforcement mode (which automatically creates and manages security groups), leading them to choose the reporting option instead of the correct enforcement option.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Firewall Manager security group policies use a 'policy rule group' that contains the desired allow/deny rules. When applied, Firewall Manager creates a 'baseline' security group in each account and attaches it to all resources that match the policy's resource tags or resource types. It also continuously monitors for drift—if a resource is created without the required security group, Firewall Manager automatically attaches the baseline group. This is distinct from AWS Config, which only evaluates resources after they exist.
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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
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: Use AWS Firewall Manager to create a security group policy that defines rules, and apply it across all accounts. Firewall Manager will automatically create and manage security groups. — AWS Firewall Manager can centrally create, apply, and manage security group policies across all accounts in an AWS Organization. By defining a security group policy with rules that block specific ports from 0.0.0.0/0, Firewall Manager automatically creates the required security groups and attaches them to the designated resources, ensuring compliance without manual intervention. This approach directly enforces the policy rather than just detecting or reporting violations.
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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