Quick Answer
The answer is the Condition element. This is correct because the Condition element in an IAM policy allows you to use the 'ec2:ResourceTag' key to dynamically restrict EC2 actions to specific instances based on their tags, enabling fine-grained access control without hardcoding instance IDs. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this concept tests your understanding of attribute-based access control (ABAC), a common scenario where you must grant start and stop permissions only to tagged resources. A frequent trap is confusing Condition with the Resource element, which can specify instance ARNs but cannot filter dynamically by tags, or with NotAction, which excludes actions rather than resources. Remember the memory tip: "Tags trigger conditions" — if you need to restrict actions based on instance metadata like tags, always look to the Condition block, not the Resource or Principal fields.
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 needs to grant an IAM user permissions to start and stop specific EC2 instances. Which IAM policy element should be used to restrict actions to specific instances?
Resource
Why wrong: Resource can list specific instance ARNs but is not dynamic for tag-based restriction.
Condition
Conditions like 'ec2:ResourceTag' can restrict to instances with specific tags.
Principal
Why wrong: Principal specifies the entity that is allowed or denied.
NotAction
Why wrong: NotAction is used to deny all actions except those listed.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Condition
Option B is correct because a Condition element can use 'ec2:ResourceTag' to restrict to instances with specific tags. Option A is wrong because 'NotAction' is for actions, not resources. Option C is wrong because 'Resource' can specify instance ARNs but not dynamically based on tags. Option D is wrong because 'Principal' is for specifying who.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Resource
Why it's wrong here
Resource can list specific instance ARNs but is not dynamic for tag-based restriction.
Condition
Why this is correct
Conditions like 'ec2:ResourceTag' can restrict to instances with specific tags.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Principal
Why it's wrong here
Principal specifies the entity that is allowed or denied.
NotAction
Why it's wrong here
NotAction is used to deny all actions except those listed.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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
Identify which SCS-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Management and Security Governance — This question tests Management and Security Governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Condition — Option B is correct because a Condition element can use 'ec2:ResourceTag' to restrict to instances with specific tags. Option A is wrong because 'NotAction' is for actions, not resources. Option C is wrong because 'Resource' can specify instance ARNs but not dynamically based on tags. Option D is wrong because 'Principal' is for specifying who.
Identify which SCS-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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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