SCS-C02 Identity and Access Management Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of identity and access management. 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.
An organization has a production AWS account and a development AWS account. Developers need to access the production account from the development account using IAM roles. What is the MOST secure way to set this up?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create an IAM role in the production account with a trust policy allowing the development account to assume it.
Option B is correct because cross-account roles allow granting least privilege access without sharing long-term credentials. Option A is wrong because sharing access keys is insecure. Option C is wrong because placing users in both accounts is not a cross-account solution. Option D is wrong because VPN does not provide IAM access.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Create an IAM role in the production account with a trust policy allowing the development account to assume it.
Why this is correct
Cross-account roles provide temporary credentials.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✗
Create IAM users in the production account and share access keys with developers.
Why it's wrong here
Sharing access keys is insecure.
✗
Establish a VPN connection between the accounts and use directory credentials.
Create the same IAM users in both accounts with identical permissions.
Why it's wrong here
Duplicating users is not cross-account access.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
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
How to think about this question
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.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Authentication checks who the user is.
Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
→Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
→Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
→Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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 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.
Identity and Access Management — This question tests Identity and Access Management — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an IAM role in the production account with a trust policy allowing the development account to assume it. — Option B is correct because cross-account roles allow granting least privilege access without sharing long-term credentials. Option A is wrong because sharing access keys is insecure. Option C is wrong because placing users in both accounts is not a cross-account solution. Option D is wrong because VPN does not provide IAM access.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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Question Discussion
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