This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of management and security governance. 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. 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 SCPs. The management account has an SCP that denies access to all EC2 actions. A developer in a member account tries to launch an EC2 instance but receives an authorization error. The developer has an IAM policy that allows ec2:RunInstances. What is the most likely cause of the error?
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.
The IAM policy does not include the ec2:RunInstances permission.
Why wrong: The developer's IAM policy allows it.
The IAM policy is applied before the SCP.
Why wrong: Order does not matter; both are evaluated, and the deny wins.
The SCP denies the action, overriding the IAM policy.
SCPs act as a filter; if denied, the action is blocked.
The SCP is applied only to the root user.
Why wrong: SCPs apply to all users in the account.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The SCP denies the action, overriding the IAM policy.
Option C is correct because SCPs take precedence over IAM policies; if an SCP denies an action, even if the IAM policy allows it, the action is denied. Option A is wrong because SCPs do not override IAM only; they are evaluated together. Option B is wrong because SCPs apply to all users in the account, including the root user. Option D is wrong because SCPs apply to all principals, not just the root.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
The IAM policy does not include the ec2:RunInstances permission.
Why it's wrong here
The developer's IAM policy allows it.
The IAM policy is applied before the SCP.
Why it's wrong here
Order does not matter; both are evaluated, and the deny wins.
The SCP denies the action, overriding the IAM policy.
Why this is correct
SCPs act as a filter; if denied, the action is blocked.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
The SCP is applied only to the root user.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs apply to all users in the account.
Common exam traps
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Real-world example
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
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related SCS-C02 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
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FAQ
Management and Security Governance — This question tests Management and Security Governance — Authentication checks who the user is..
The correct answer is: The SCP denies the action, overriding the IAM policy. — Option C is correct because SCPs take precedence over IAM policies; if an SCP denies an action, even if the IAM policy allows it, the action is denied. Option A is wrong because SCPs do not override IAM only; they are evaluated together. Option B is wrong because SCPs apply to all users in the account, including the root user. Option D is wrong because SCPs apply to all principals, not just the root.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related SCS-C02 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Authentication checks who the user is.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This SCS-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SCS-C02 exam.
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