- A
The policy is not attached to the user; it is attached to a group.
Why wrong: Incorrect. Even if the policy is attached to a group, it would still apply to the user as a member, so this alone would not cause the issue.
- B
The user is using an IAM role that overrides the policy.
Why wrong: Incorrect. While an IAM role can override permissions, the most likely reason in this scenario is a misconfigured condition key, not a role.
- C
The policy uses a condition with ec2:Region instead of ec2:AvailabilityZone.
Why wrong: Incorrect. Using 'ec2:Region' would affect region-level conditions, not Availability Zones, but the question specifically mentions the AZ mismatch.
- D
The policy uses the condition key "aws:RequestedAvailabilityZone" which is not valid; it should be "ec2:AvailabilityZone".
Correct. The invalid condition key causes the condition to be ignored, so the user can launch in any AZ, including us-east-1b.
SCS-C02 IAM Condition Keys 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. A key principle to apply: iAM Condition Keys. 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 has an IAM policy that allows a user to launch EC2 instances only in a specific Availability Zone (us-east-1a). The user is able to launch instances, but the instances are launched in us-east-1b instead. What is the most likely reason?
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 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 policy uses the condition key "aws:RequestedAvailabilityZone" which is not valid; it should be "ec2:AvailabilityZone".
The correct answer is D. The condition key "aws:RequestedAvailabilityZone" is not a valid AWS condition key for EC2 actions. The proper condition key to restrict an Availability Zone is "ec2:AvailabilityZone". If the policy uses an invalid key, the condition is never evaluated, so the policy effectively allows launching instances in any AZ. Options A, B, and C are less likely because they describe scenarios that would either still allow enforcement or are not as common a mistake.
Key principle: IAM Condition Keys
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 policy is not attached to the user; it is attached to a group.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Even if the policy is attached to a group, it would still apply to the user as a member, so this alone would not cause the issue.
- ✗
The user is using an IAM role that overrides the policy.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. While an IAM role can override permissions, the most likely reason in this scenario is a misconfigured condition key, not a role.
- ✗
The policy uses a condition with ec2:Region instead of ec2:AvailabilityZone.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Using 'ec2:Region' would affect region-level conditions, not Availability Zones, but the question specifically mentions the AZ mismatch.
- ✓
The policy uses the condition key "aws:RequestedAvailabilityZone" which is not valid; it should be "ec2:AvailabilityZone".
Why this is correct
Correct. The invalid condition key causes the condition to be ignored, so the user can launch in any AZ, including us-east-1b.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
IAM Condition Keys
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap is that candidates might assume any condition key with the right intention works, but AWS requires specific prefix and key names. Many mistakenly use 'region' instead of 'AvailabilityZone' or global prefixes.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Incorrect. While an IAM role can override permissions, the most likely reason in this scenario is a misconfigured condition key, not a role.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- IAM Condition Keys
- ec2:AvailabilityZone
TExam Day Tips
- 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
IAM Condition Keys
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 iAM Condition Keys, then practise related SCS-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
- →
Identity and Access Management — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Identity and Access Management — This question tests Identity and Access Management — IAM Condition Keys.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The policy uses the condition key "aws:RequestedAvailabilityZone" which is not valid; it should be "ec2:AvailabilityZone". — The correct answer is D. The condition key "aws:RequestedAvailabilityZone" is not a valid AWS condition key for EC2 actions. The proper condition key to restrict an Availability Zone is "ec2:AvailabilityZone". If the policy uses an invalid key, the condition is never evaluated, so the policy effectively allows launching instances in any AZ. Options A, B, and C are less likely because they describe scenarios that would either still allow enforcement or are not as common a mistake.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Review iAM Condition Keys, then practise related SCS-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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?
IAM Condition Keys
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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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