- A
Attach a Service Control Policy (SCP) to the production OU that denies sts:AssumeRole unless the request source IP is within the corporate range.
SCPs can enforce conditions on API calls.
- B
Use a VPC endpoint for STS and restrict access to the endpoint.
Why wrong: VPC endpoints do not restrict source IP; they restrict network path.
- C
Configure AWS WAF to block requests from IPs outside the corporate range.
Why wrong: WAF is for web application traffic, not IAM API calls.
- D
Add a condition to the trust policy of each IAM role that requires the source IP to be in the corporate range.
Trust policy conditions can restrict who can assume the role.
- E
Attach a Service Control Policy (SCP) to each IAM role that denies assume role unless the source IP is corporate.
Why wrong: SCPs cannot be attached to IAM roles.
Quick Answer
The answer is to add a condition to the trust policy of each IAM role that requires the source IP to be in the corporate range, or to use a Service Control Policy (SCP) to deny sts:AssumeRole when the request originates outside that range. Both approaches enforce the restriction at different levels: the trust policy acts as a resource-based gate on the role itself, while the SCP applies an account-wide guardrail across all production accounts, preventing any role from being assumed from non-corporate IPs. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this tests your understanding of where to place IAM conditions—trust policies for individual roles versus SCPs for organizational boundaries—and a common trap is confusing SCPs with IAM policies attached to roles, since SCPs cannot be attached directly to roles. Remember the memory tip: "Trust for the role, SCP for the whole."
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 has a multi-account AWS environment. The security team wants to enforce that all IAM roles in the production accounts can only be assumed from a specific IP range (the corporate network). Which TWO approaches can achieve this?
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 a Service Control Policy (SCP) to the production OU that denies sts:AssumeRole unless the request source IP is within the corporate range.
Options A and C are correct. Option A: An SCP can be used to deny the sts:AssumeRole action if the request does not come from the corporate IP range. Option C: An IAM policy with a condition on the source IP can be attached to the roles. Option B is wrong because SCPs cannot be attached to roles. Option D is wrong because AWS WAF is for web traffic, not IAM. Option E is wrong because VPC endpoints do not enforce source IP.
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.
- ✓
Attach a Service Control Policy (SCP) to the production OU that denies sts:AssumeRole unless the request source IP is within the corporate range.
Why this is correct
SCPs can enforce conditions on API calls.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- ✗
Use a VPC endpoint for STS and restrict access to the endpoint.
Why it's wrong here
VPC endpoints do not restrict source IP; they restrict network path.
- ✗
Configure AWS WAF to block requests from IPs outside the corporate range.
Why it's wrong here
WAF is for web application traffic, not IAM API calls.
- ✓
Add a condition to the trust policy of each IAM role that requires the source IP to be in the corporate range.
Why this is correct
Trust policy conditions can restrict who can assume the role.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- ✗
Attach a Service Control Policy (SCP) to each IAM role that denies assume role unless the source IP is corporate.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs cannot be attached to IAM roles.
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.
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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 a Service Control Policy (SCP) to the production OU that denies sts:AssumeRole unless the request source IP is within the corporate range. — Options A and C are correct. Option A: An SCP can be used to deny the sts:AssumeRole action if the request does not come from the corporate IP range. Option C: An IAM policy with a condition on the source IP can be attached to the roles. Option B is wrong because SCPs cannot be attached to roles. Option D is wrong because AWS WAF is for web traffic, not IAM. Option E is wrong because VPC endpoints do not enforce source IP.
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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