This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of technology. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. A key principle to apply: iAM Policy Condition. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. An IAM policy is created for an automated script that starts and stops EC2 instances. The script is failing to stop an instance with the tag 'Environment: non-production'. What is the most likely cause?
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 EC2 instance does not have the tag 'Environment' with value 'non-production'.
Option A is correct because the IAM policy is configured with a condition that requires the EC2 instance to have the tag 'Environment' with value 'non-production' for both StartInstances and StopInstances actions. If the instance does not have this exact tag, the action is denied. Option B is incorrect because the policy likely includes the ec2:StopInstances action, but the condition is not met. Option C is incorrect because the policy does not require ec2:Describe* actions for the stop operation to work. Option D is incorrect because the condition is applied equally to both StartInstances and StopInstances.
Key principle: IAM Policy Condition
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 EC2 instance does not have the tag 'Environment' with value 'non-production'.
Why this is correct
The condition requires the instance to have that exact tag; otherwise, the action is denied.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
IAM Policy Condition
✗
The policy does not include ec2:StopInstances action.
Why it's wrong here
The policy includes both Start and Stop.
✗
The policy does not allow ec2:Describe* actions for instances.
Why it's wrong here
Describe* is allowed for all resources.
✗
The condition is applied to the ec2:StartInstances action but not ec2:StopInstances.
Why it's wrong here
The condition applies to both actions in the list.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap is that candidates may assume a lack of ec2:StopInstances action is the cause, but the policy actually includes it; the issue is the tag condition not being satisfied.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
IAM Policy Condition
Resource Tagging
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
IAM Policy Condition
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 iAM Policy Condition, then practise related PAS-C01 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Technology — This question tests Technology — IAM Policy Condition.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The EC2 instance does not have the tag 'Environment' with value 'non-production'. — Option A is correct because the IAM policy is configured with a condition that requires the EC2 instance to have the tag 'Environment' with value 'non-production' for both StartInstances and StopInstances actions. If the instance does not have this exact tag, the action is denied. Option B is incorrect because the policy likely includes the ec2:StopInstances action, but the condition is not met. Option C is incorrect because the policy does not require ec2:Describe* actions for the stop operation to work. Option D is incorrect because the condition is applied equally to both StartInstances and StopInstances.
What should I do if I get this PAS-C01 question wrong?
Review iAM Policy Condition, then practise related PAS-C01 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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?
IAM Policy Condition
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Question Discussion
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