SCS-C02 Identity and Access Management Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of identity and access management. 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 large enterprise has multiple AWS accounts managed via AWS Organizations. The security team wants to enforce that all IAM roles in all accounts must have a maximum session duration of 1 hour. They create an SCP that denies creating or updating roles if the MaxSessionDuration is greater than 3600 seconds. The SCP is attached to the root OU. After applying the SCP, the development team reports that they cannot create any new IAM roles, even with a session duration of 1 hour. They are using CloudFormation to create roles. What is the MOST likely reason for the failure?
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 SCP denies role creation when MaxSessionDuration is not explicitly set, even if it defaults to 1 hour.
Option C is correct. CloudFormation uses a service role (or the user's role) to create resources. If the SCP denies the creation of roles, CloudFormation itself may be denied if the service role does not have an explicit allow. The SCP might deny the cloudformation:CreateStack action if it includes creating a role. However, the more likely issue is that the SCP uses a condition that does not account for the case when MaxSessionDuration is not specified; if not specified, the default is 1 hour, but the condition might still deny if it checks for the absence of the parameter. Option A is wrong because the SCP does not block CloudFormation overall. Option B is wrong because SCPs are the likely cause. Option D is wrong because an SCP can be attached to the root OU.
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.
✗
The SCP cannot be attached to the root OU; it must be attached to individual accounts.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs can be attached to root OU.
✗
The SCP is not effective; the issue is with the IAM permissions boundary.
Why it's wrong here
SCP is effective.
✓
The SCP denies role creation when MaxSessionDuration is not explicitly set, even if it defaults to 1 hour.
Why this is correct
Condition may not match when parameter absent.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
CloudFormation does not support creating IAM roles.
Why it's wrong here
CloudFormation can create 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 SCS-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Identity and Access Management — This question tests Identity and Access Management — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The SCP denies role creation when MaxSessionDuration is not explicitly set, even if it defaults to 1 hour. — Option C is correct. CloudFormation uses a service role (or the user's role) to create resources. If the SCP denies the creation of roles, CloudFormation itself may be denied if the service role does not have an explicit allow. The SCP might deny the cloudformation:CreateStack action if it includes creating a role. However, the more likely issue is that the SCP uses a condition that does not account for the case when MaxSessionDuration is not specified; if not specified, the default is 1 hour, but the condition might still deny if it checks for the absence of the parameter. Option A is wrong because the SCP does not block CloudFormation overall. Option B is wrong because SCPs are the likely cause. Option D is wrong because an SCP can be attached to the root OU.
What should I do if I get this SCS-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 SCS-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
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?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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