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.
An administrator attached the above IAM policy to a group of developers. A developer tries to launch a t3.medium EC2 instance and receives an 'AccessDenied' error. What is the MOST likely reason?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The policy denies all instance types except t3.micro and t3.small.
Option B is correct because the policy denies ec2:RunInstances for instance types that are not t3.micro or t3.small. Since t3.medium is not in the allowed list, the action is denied. Option A is wrong because the policy allows the action for allowed types. Option C is wrong because the condition is on instance type, not AMI. Option D is wrong because there is no explicit allow, but the default implicit deny is overridden by the explicit deny.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
The policy denies all instance types except t3.micro and t3.small.
Why this is correct
The condition denies if the instance type is not in the list.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
The policy has a syntax error that causes all actions to be denied.
Why it's wrong here
The policy syntax is valid.
✗
The policy does not explicitly allow ec2:RunInstances.
Why it's wrong here
An explicit deny overrides any allow, so the allow is not needed here.
✗
The policy requires a specific Amazon Machine Image (AMI) that the developer is not using.
Why it's wrong here
The policy does not reference AMIs.
Common exam traps
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.
Detailed technical explanation
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.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SAP-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — This question tests Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The policy denies all instance types except t3.micro and t3.small. — Option B is correct because the policy denies ec2:RunInstances for instance types that are not t3.micro or t3.small. Since t3.medium is not in the allowed list, the action is denied. Option A is wrong because the policy allows the action for allowed types. Option C is wrong because the condition is on instance type, not AMI. Option D is wrong because there is no explicit allow, but the default implicit deny is overridden by the explicit deny.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SAP-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Question Discussion
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