The correct approach is to use an SCP to deny the iam:UpdateAccountPasswordPolicy action and deploy a compliant password policy via CloudFormation StackSets. This works because the SCP acts as a preventive control at the AWS Organizations level, blocking any member account from modifying or removing the password policy, while StackSets automatically applies the required 14-character minimum policy across all accounts in a single, auditable deployment. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between preventive and detective controls, with SCPs being the only mechanism that enforces guardrails before an action occurs. A common trap is choosing a detective solution like AWS Config rules, which only alert after a violation, or relying on IAM password policies that can be changed by account administrators. Remember the memory tip: “SCP to stop, StackSets to start”—the SCP prevents changes, and StackSets sets the policy.
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 a management account in AWS Organizations and several member accounts. The security team wants to ensure that any IAM user created in any member account must have a password policy that enforces a minimum length of 14 characters. The team wants a preventive control that is enforced automatically. Which approach should be used?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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 to deny the iam:UpdateAccountPasswordPolicy action and deploy a password policy using CloudFormation StackSets.
Option B is correct because an SCP can deny the iam:UpdateAccountPasswordPolicy action, preventing member accounts from altering the password policy, while CloudFormation StackSets can deploy a compliant password policy across all member accounts automatically. This combination provides a preventive control that enforces the minimum 14-character requirement without relying on user action or reactive detection.
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 Service Catalog to provide a password policy product and require account owners to launch it.
Why it's wrong here
Not automatic.
✓
Use an SCP to deny the iam:UpdateAccountPasswordPolicy action and deploy a password policy using CloudFormation StackSets.
Why this is correct
Correct: Prevents changes and enforces policy.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use an SCP to deny the iam:CreateUser action unless the request includes a condition that the password policy meets the requirement.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs cannot check password policy content.
✗
Use AWS Config rules to detect accounts without the required password policy and auto-remediate with a Lambda function.
Why it's wrong here
Reactive, not preventive.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose a detective/reactive solution (like AWS Config with auto-remediation) because it seems automated, but the question explicitly asks for a preventive control that is enforced automatically, which requires blocking the ability to change the policy (SCP) and proactively applying the correct policy (StackSets).
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SCPs operate at the AWS Organizations root or OU level and can deny specific IAM actions across all member accounts, but they cannot directly set a password policy; CloudFormation StackSets uses service-managed permissions to deploy a stack with an AWS::IAM::AccountPasswordPolicy resource to every target account, ensuring the policy is applied. A subtle behavior is that if a member account has an existing password policy, StackSets will update it, but if the SCP denies iam:UpdateAccountPasswordPolicy, the stack deployment itself must be executed from the management account or a delegated administrator to avoid being blocked.
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: Use an SCP to deny the iam:UpdateAccountPasswordPolicy action and deploy a password policy using CloudFormation StackSets. — Option B is correct because an SCP can deny the iam:UpdateAccountPasswordPolicy action, preventing member accounts from altering the password policy, while CloudFormation StackSets can deploy a compliant password policy across all member accounts automatically. This combination provides a preventive control that enforces the minimum 14-character requirement without relying on user action or reactive detection.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
This SAP-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SAP-C02 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.