The answer is that the trust policy of the OrganizationAccountAccessRole in the member account does not grant access to the management account. This is because assuming a role requires a two-part permission: the user must have an IAM policy allowing the sts:AssumeRole action, and the role itself must have a trust policy that explicitly lists the management account as a trusted principal. Without that trust policy, even if the user’s policy is correct, the member account’s role will reject the assumption attempt. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of cross-account role trust boundaries, a common trap where candidates focus only on the user’s permissions and overlook the role’s trust policy. A key memory tip is “two doors must open”—the user’s policy is one door, but the role’s trust policy is the second, and both must be unlocked for access.
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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": "sts:AssumeRole",
"Resource": "arn:aws:iam::*:role/OrganizationAccountAccessRole"
}
]
}
Refer to the exhibit. An IAM policy is attached to a user in the management account of AWS Organizations. The user wants to assume the OrganizationAccountAccessRole in a member account. However, the user receives an access denied 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 trust policy of the OrganizationAccountAccessRole in the member account does not grant access to the management account.
Option D is correct because the user must have permission from the management account to assume the role, and the role itself must trust the management account. The policy shown is correct, but the role in the member account must have a trust policy that allows the management account to assume it. Option A is wrong because SCPs can deny but not the primary issue. Option B is wrong because IAM roles are not regional. Option C is wrong because the policy allows all accounts.
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 trust policy of the OrganizationAccountAccessRole in the member account does not grant access to the management account.
Why this is correct
The role must trust the management account to allow AssumeRole.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
The IAM role does not exist in the same region as the user.
Why it's wrong here
IAM is global.
✗
An SCP in the member account denies the sts:AssumeRole action.
Why it's wrong here
Possible but not the most likely; the role trust policy is a common issue.
✗
The policy does not specify the exact member account ARN.
Why it's wrong here
Wildcard allows all accounts.
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 trust policy of the OrganizationAccountAccessRole in the member account does not grant access to the management account. — Option D is correct because the user must have permission from the management account to assume the role, and the role itself must trust the management account. The policy shown is correct, but the role in the member account must have a trust policy that allows the management account to assume it. Option A is wrong because SCPs can deny but not the primary issue. Option B is wrong because IAM roles are not regional. Option C is wrong because the policy allows all accounts.
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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