- A
Use IAM policies with conditions to restrict deletion to certain IP addresses.
Why wrong: IAM policies are account-specific; SCPs are needed for organization-wide enforcement.
- B
Attach an SCP to the root that explicitly denies cloudtrail:DeleteTrail and s3:PutBucketPolicy.
Explicit denial overrides any allow.
- C
Attach an SCP to the root that allows all actions, and rely on IAM policies in each account.
Why wrong: SCPs cannot be bypassed by IAM; IAM alone won't prevent deletion if user has admin.
- D
Ensure that the SCPs are evaluated in the correct order, with deny statements taking precedence.
Order matters for SCPs; deny always wins.
- E
Attach an SCP that denies all actions except those necessary for CloudTrail and S3 operations.
A restrictive SCP can allow only specific actions.
Quick Answer
The correct answer combines three SCP strategies: attaching an SCP that denies specific deletion actions, using a deny-all SCP that explicitly allows only necessary CloudTrail and S3 operations, and understanding that SCPs are evaluated in order with deny always overriding allow. This works because SCPs act as a permission boundary—they cannot grant permissions, but they can block actions even for full-admin users, making them ideal to prevent deletion of CloudTrail and S3 bucket policies across all accounts in an organization. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this tests your grasp of SCP evaluation logic and the distinction between identity-based policies and service control policies; a common trap is assuming an SCP with “Deny” on specific actions is sufficient alone, but you must also consider that a blanket deny with targeted allows requires careful ordering to avoid accidentally blocking all actions. Remember the mnemonic “DAD” for Deny, Allow, Deny-overrides—always place explicit denies last to ensure they catch any unintended permissions.
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions for organizational complexity. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 with multiple OUs. The security team wants to ensure that no account can delete CloudTrail trails or S3 bucket policies. Which THREE SCP strategies should be combined?
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
Attach an SCP to the root that explicitly denies cloudtrail:DeleteTrail and s3:PutBucketPolicy.
Option A is correct because denying specific actions is straightforward. Option C is correct because a deny-all SCP with allows for CloudTrail and S3 actions would also work, but careful ordering is needed. Option D is correct because SCPs are evaluated in order, and a deny always overrides an allow. Option B is wrong because SCPs cannot prevent deletion if the user has full admin; SCPs only apply if the user would otherwise have permission. Option E is wrong because IAM policies are not SCPs.
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.
- ✗
Use IAM policies with conditions to restrict deletion to certain IP addresses.
Why it's wrong here
IAM policies are account-specific; SCPs are needed for organization-wide enforcement.
- ✓
Attach an SCP to the root that explicitly denies cloudtrail:DeleteTrail and s3:PutBucketPolicy.
Why this is correct
Explicit denial overrides any allow.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- ✗
Attach an SCP to the root that allows all actions, and rely on IAM policies in each account.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs cannot be bypassed by IAM; IAM alone won't prevent deletion if user has admin.
- ✓
Ensure that the SCPs are evaluated in the correct order, with deny statements taking precedence.
Why this is correct
Order matters for SCPs; deny always wins.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- ✓
Attach an SCP that denies all actions except those necessary for CloudTrail and S3 operations.
Why this is correct
A restrictive SCP can allow only specific actions.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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.
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Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — study guide chapter
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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 — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Attach an SCP to the root that explicitly denies cloudtrail:DeleteTrail and s3:PutBucketPolicy. — Option A is correct because denying specific actions is straightforward. Option C is correct because a deny-all SCP with allows for CloudTrail and S3 actions would also work, but careful ordering is needed. Option D is correct because SCPs are evaluated in order, and a deny always overrides an allow. Option B is wrong because SCPs cannot prevent deletion if the user has full admin; SCPs only apply if the user would otherwise have permission. Option E is wrong because IAM policies are not SCPs.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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