- A
{"Effect":"Deny","Action":"ec2:RunInstances","Resource":"*","Condition":{"StringNotEquals":{"ec2:InstanceType":["t3.*","m5.*"]}}}
Why wrong: Incorrect because Resource '*' may cause the ec2:InstanceType condition key to not be evaluated properly for all resource types. Also, StringNotEquals does not support wildcards, so patterns like 't3.*' are interpreted literally.
- B
{"Effect":"Deny","Action":"ec2:RunInstances","Resource":"arn:aws:ec2:*:*:instance/*","Condition":{"StringNotEquals":{"ec2:InstanceType":["t3.*","m5.*"]}}}
Correct because it uses a resource ARN that matches EC2 instances, ensuring the condition key is evaluated. The Deny effect with StringNotEquals blocks any instance type that is not exactly 't3.*' or 'm5.*' (though note that wildcards are not actually supported with StringNotEquals, making this option the best available).
- C
{"Effect":"Allow","Action":"ec2:RunInstances","Resource":"*","Condition":{"StringEquals":{"ec2:InstanceType":["t3.*","m5.*"]}}}
Why wrong: Incorrect because Allow statements in SCPs do not grant permissions; they only allow if explicitly permitted by other policies, but the default implicit deny is not overridden by Allow.
- D
{"Effect":"Deny","Action":"ec2:RunInstances","Resource":"*"}
Why wrong: Incorrect because it denies all EC2 instances regardless of type, including T3 and M5, which is not the intended restriction.
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 is using AWS Organizations and wants to restrict the use of specific instance types across all accounts. The company wants to allow only T3 and M5 instances. Which SCP should be applied?
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
{"Effect":"Deny","Action":"ec2:RunInstances","Resource":"arn:aws:ec2:*:*:instance/*","Condition":{"StringNotEquals":{"ec2:InstanceType":["t3.*","m5.*"]}}}
Option B is the correct SCP because it targets the instance resource with a resource ARN, ensuring the condition key ec2:InstanceType is evaluated when launching instances. The Deny effect with StringNotEquals blocks non-allowed instance types. Although StringNotEquals does not support wildcards for pattern matching, this is the closest option available and the resource specificity makes it more appropriate than Option A, which uses a broad resource '*' that may not evaluate the condition correctly.
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.
- ✗
{"Effect":"Deny","Action":"ec2:RunInstances","Resource":"*","Condition":{"StringNotEquals":{"ec2:InstanceType":["t3.*","m5.*"]}}}
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because Resource '*' may cause the ec2:InstanceType condition key to not be evaluated properly for all resource types. Also, StringNotEquals does not support wildcards, so patterns like 't3.*' are interpreted literally.
- ✓
{"Effect":"Deny","Action":"ec2:RunInstances","Resource":"arn:aws:ec2:*:*:instance/*","Condition":{"StringNotEquals":{"ec2:InstanceType":["t3.*","m5.*"]}}}
Why this is correct
Correct because it uses a resource ARN that matches EC2 instances, ensuring the condition key is evaluated. The Deny effect with StringNotEquals blocks any instance type that is not exactly 't3.*' or 'm5.*' (though note that wildcards are not actually supported with StringNotEquals, making this option the best available).
Related concept
Service Control Policy (SCP)
- ✗
{"Effect":"Allow","Action":"ec2:RunInstances","Resource":"*","Condition":{"StringEquals":{"ec2:InstanceType":["t3.*","m5.*"]}}}
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because Allow statements in SCPs do not grant permissions; they only allow if explicitly permitted by other policies, but the default implicit deny is not overridden by Allow.
- ✗
{"Effect":"Deny","Action":"ec2:RunInstances","Resource":"*"}
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because it denies all EC2 instances regardless of type, including T3 and M5, which is not the intended restriction.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap is that candidates might choose Option A because it uses Resource '*' with a deny condition, but the resource must be specific to the instance for the ec2:InstanceType condition key to be evaluated. Option B correctly uses the instance ARN.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SCPs in AWS Organizations act as a guardrail that filters permissions granted by IAM policies; a Deny SCP with a condition like StringNotEquals effectively creates a blacklist of non-compliant instance types. The ec2:InstanceType condition key supports wildcard patterns (e.g., 't3.*' matches t3.nano, t3.micro, etc.), but note that the condition must be evaluated against the actual instance type specified in the API call—if the user omits the InstanceType parameter, the condition may not match and the Deny could be bypassed, so a best practice is to also include a Deny for requests without an InstanceType. In real-world scenarios, this SCP is often combined with a separate Deny for ec2:RunInstances when the instance type is not specified, to prevent users from launching instances with default types that might not be allowed.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Service Control Policy (SCP)
- ec2:InstanceType condition key
- Resource ARN specificity
- Deny effect with conditions
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Service Control Policy (SCP) Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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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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: {"Effect":"Deny","Action":"ec2:RunInstances","Resource":"arn:aws:ec2:*:*:instance/*","Condition":{"StringNotEquals":{"ec2:InstanceType":["t3.*","m5.*"]}}} — Option B is the correct SCP because it targets the instance resource with a resource ARN, ensuring the condition key ec2:InstanceType is evaluated when launching instances. The Deny effect with StringNotEquals blocks non-allowed instance types. Although StringNotEquals does not support wildcards for pattern matching, this is the closest option available and the resource specificity makes it more appropriate than Option A, which uses a broad resource '*' that may not evaluate the condition correctly.
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: Jun 24, 2026
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