- A
Use AWS CloudFormation StackSets to deploy AMI approval rules via EC2 launch templates.
Why wrong: Launch templates are not enforced; users can still launch instances without templates.
- B
Use an SCP that denies ec2:RunInstances unless the AMI has a specific tag (e.g., "Approved":"true"). Central team tags approved AMIs.
SCPs can enforce tagging conditions centrally, and tags are easy to manage.
- C
Use AWS Config with a custom rule that triggers a Lambda function to terminate non-compliant instances.
Why wrong: This is reactive, not preventive, and instances may run for a short time.
- D
Create an IAM policy condition that only allows ec2:RunInstances if the AMI ID matches a list in the condition.
Why wrong: IAM policies have size limits and cannot handle a frequently changing large list.
SAP-C02 Service Control Policy (SCP) Practice Question
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. A key principle to apply: service Control Policy (SCP). 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 uses AWS Organizations with multiple OUs. The security team needs to ensure that no EC2 instances are launched without an approved Amazon Machine Image (AMI) ID from a central list. The list changes frequently. What is the MOST scalable way to enforce this?
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
Use an SCP that denies ec2:RunInstances unless the AMI has a specific tag (e.g., "Approved":"true"). Central team tags approved AMIs.
Option B is correct because using a Service Control Policy (SCP) with a condition that denies ec2:RunInstances unless the AMI has a specific tag (e.g., 'Approved':'true') is scalable and centralized. The security team can simply tag approved AMIs, and the SCP automatically enforces the policy across all accounts in the organization without needing to update IAM policies or deploy infrastructure. This approach scales with frequent changes to the AMI list because only the tag needs to be applied or removed, not the policy itself.
Key principle: Service Control Policy (SCP)
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 CloudFormation StackSets to deploy AMI approval rules via EC2 launch templates.
Why it's wrong here
Launch templates are not enforced; users can still launch instances without templates.
- ✓
Use an SCP that denies ec2:RunInstances unless the AMI has a specific tag (e.g., "Approved":"true"). Central team tags approved AMIs.
Why this is correct
SCPs can enforce tagging conditions centrally, and tags are easy to manage.
Related concept
Service Control Policy (SCP)
- ✗
Use AWS Config with a custom rule that triggers a Lambda function to terminate non-compliant instances.
Why it's wrong here
This is reactive, not preventive, and instances may run for a short time.
- ✗
Create an IAM policy condition that only allows ec2:RunInstances if the AMI ID matches a list in the condition.
Why it's wrong here
IAM policies have size limits and cannot handle a frequently changing large list.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose a detective control (like AWS Config) or a resource-level IAM policy, failing to recognize that SCPs provide a preventive, organization-wide guardrail that scales without per-account or per-policy updates.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SCPs are account permission boundaries that apply to all principals in an account, including the root user, and they are evaluated before any IAM policies. The condition key 'ec2:ImageId' can be used with a 'ForAnyValue:StringLike' operator to match tag values, but the more scalable approach is to use a resource tag condition (e.g., 'ec2:ResourceTag/Approved':'true') on the AMI itself, which avoids hardcoding AMI IDs. Under the hood, SCPs are cached by the AWS Organizations service and propagated to member accounts, ensuring low-latency enforcement across the organization.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Service Control Policy (SCP)
- Resource Tags
- Preventive vs Detective Control
- Scalability
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
Service Control Policy (SCP)
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.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review service Control Policy (SCP), then practise related SAP-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — study guide chapter
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Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — This question tests Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — Service Control Policy (SCP).
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use an SCP that denies ec2:RunInstances unless the AMI has a specific tag (e.g., "Approved":"true"). Central team tags approved AMIs. — Option B is correct because using a Service Control Policy (SCP) with a condition that denies ec2:RunInstances unless the AMI has a specific tag (e.g., 'Approved':'true') is scalable and centralized. The security team can simply tag approved AMIs, and the SCP automatically enforces the policy across all accounts in the organization without needing to update IAM policies or deploy infrastructure. This approach scales with frequent changes to the AMI list because only the tag needs to be applied or removed, not the policy itself.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review service Control Policy (SCP), then practise related SAP-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Service Control Policy (SCP)
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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