SCS-C02 Identity and Access Management Practice Question
A security engineer is designing a permissions boundary for an IAM user. Which TWO statements about permissions boundaries are correct?
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
✓
The effective permissions are the intersection of the identity-based policy and the permissions boundary.
The correct answers are C and E. Permissions boundaries set the maximum permissions that an identity-based policy can grant. The effective permissions are the intersection of the identity-based policy and the permissions boundary (C). A permissions boundary alone does not grant permissions; you must also attach an identity-based policy (E). Option A is incorrect because permissions boundaries cannot be applied to service-linked roles. Option B is incorrect because permissions boundaries can be applied to both IAM users and roles. Option D is incorrect because permissions boundaries do not affect resource-based policies; they only limit identity-based policies.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Permissions boundaries can be applied to service-linked roles.
Why it's wrong here
Service-linked roles cannot have boundaries.
- ✗
Permissions boundaries can only be applied to IAM users, not roles.
Why it's wrong here
Boundaries can be applied to both users and roles.
- ✓
The effective permissions are the intersection of the identity-based policy and the permissions boundary.
Why this is correct
Intersection of both policies.
- ✗
Permissions boundaries can override resource-based policies.
Why it's wrong here
Resource-based policies are independent.
- ✓
A permissions boundary alone does not grant permissions; an identity-based policy is also required.
Why this is correct
Boundaries only limit, not grant.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.