- A
AWS Directory Service
Why wrong: AWS Directory Service is used for managed directory services, not for centrally managing permissions across multiple accounts.
- B
AWS IAM
Why wrong: AWS IAM is per-account and cannot define common permissions across multiple accounts centrally.
- C
AWS Single Sign-On (SSO)
Why wrong: AWS Single Sign-On (SSO) provides federated access to accounts but does not enforce permissions boundaries.
- D
AWS Organizations with SCPs
AWS Organizations with SCPs allows you to define and enforce common permissions for all accounts in the organization.
Question 1,178 of 1,748
SCS-C02 Management and Security Governance Practice Question
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 centrally manage access to AWS resources across multiple accounts. Which AWS service should be used to define and enforce a set of common permissions for all accounts in the organization?
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
✓
AWS Organizations with SCPs
The correct answer is D. AWS Organizations with Service Control Policies (SCPs) allows you to centrally manage and enforce permissions across all accounts in an organization. SCPs define the maximum permissions for accounts and can be applied to the root, OUs, or individual accounts. Option A (AWS Directory Service) is for managed directory services, not for permissions management. Option B (IAM) is per-account and does not centrally manage multiple accounts. Option C (AWS SSO) is for federated access, not for enforcing permissions boundaries.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
AWS Directory Service
Why it's wrong here
AWS Directory Service is used for managed directory services, not for centrally managing permissions across multiple accounts.
- ✗
AWS IAM
Why it's wrong here
AWS IAM is per-account and cannot define common permissions across multiple accounts centrally.
- ✗
AWS Single Sign-On (SSO)
Why it's wrong here
AWS Single Sign-On (SSO) provides federated access to accounts but does not enforce permissions boundaries.
- ✓
AWS Organizations with SCPs
Why this is correct
AWS Organizations with SCPs allows you to define and enforce common permissions for all accounts in the organization.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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
How to think about this question
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.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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.
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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Management and Security Governance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Management and Security Governance — This question tests Management and Security Governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS Organizations with SCPs — The correct answer is D. AWS Organizations with Service Control Policies (SCPs) allows you to centrally manage and enforce permissions across all accounts in an organization. SCPs define the maximum permissions for accounts and can be applied to the root, OUs, or individual accounts. Option A (AWS Directory Service) is for managed directory services, not for permissions management. Option B (IAM) is per-account and does not centrally manage multiple accounts. Option C (AWS SSO) is for federated access, not for enforcing permissions boundaries.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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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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