The correct actions are applying SCPs to deny high-risk actions across all accounts and using IAM roles with cross-account trust that grant only necessary permissions. This combination enforces least-privilege access across multiple AWS accounts by centralizing guardrails at the organizational level through Service Control Policies, while delegating fine-grained permissions via IAM roles that assume temporary credentials rather than static keys. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to scale security boundaries without granting full administrative access or relying on root users, which are common traps. A frequent mistake is selecting options that grant broad permissions or use long-term access keys, both of which violate the principle of least privilege. Remember the mnemonic "SCP to stop, IAM to start" — SCPs block high-risk actions globally, while IAM roles define what each account can actually do.
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.
Which TWO actions should a company take to implement a least-privilege access model across multiple AWS accounts? (Choose TWO.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use IAM roles in each account with cross-account trust from a central identity provider, granting only required permissions.
Using IAM roles with cross-account trust and granting only necessary permissions (option A) and using SCPs to restrict high-risk actions (option D) are correct. Option B is wrong because it grants full access. Option C is wrong because it uses static keys. Option E is wrong because root user should not be used.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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 IAM roles in each account with cross-account trust from a central identity provider, granting only required permissions.
Why this is correct
Roles allow temporary credentials with limited permissions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✓
Apply SCPs to deny high-risk actions across all accounts.
Why this is correct
SCPs enforce boundaries.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✗
Generate long-term access keys for each user in the central account.
Why it's wrong here
Long-term keys are insecure and not least-privilege.
✗
Share the root user credentials of each account with the central team.
Why it's wrong here
Root user access is dangerous and not auditable.
✗
Create IAM users in each account with full administrator access for all users.
Why it's wrong here
Violates least-privilege.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Authentication checks who the user is.
Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
→Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
→Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
→Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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 Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related SAP-C02 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — This question tests Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use IAM roles in each account with cross-account trust from a central identity provider, granting only required permissions. — Using IAM roles with cross-account trust and granting only necessary permissions (option A) and using SCPs to restrict high-risk actions (option D) are correct. Option B is wrong because it grants full access. Option C is wrong because it uses static keys. Option E is wrong because root user should not be used.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related SAP-C02 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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