← SCS-C02·Amazon Web Services

Question 1,129 of 1,738

Identity and Access Management →easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is that the condition keys `ec2:InstanceType` and `ec2:ImageId` are not supported for the `ec2:RunInstances` action in IAM policies. This happens because AWS IAM condition keys are action-specific, and while these keys exist for other EC2 actions like `DescribeInstances`, they are silently ignored during `RunInstances`—the policy appears correct but has no effect, allowing any AMI or instance type. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this tests your understanding that not all condition keys work with every API call; a common trap is assuming a key works across all actions just because it is listed in the EC2 condition key namespace. Remember the memory tip: "RunInstances ignores ImageId and InstanceType—check the docs for the specific action's supported keys."

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 company has a single AWS account with multiple IAM users. The administrator created an IAM policy that allows all users to launch EC2 instances, but only if they use a specific AMI ID (ami-12345678) and a specific instance type (t3.micro). The policy uses a condition that checks the EC2 instance type and AMI ID. However, a user is able to launch an EC2 instance with a different AMI ID and a larger instance type. The administrator reviews the policy and confirms that the condition is correctly written. What is the most likely reason that the policy is not working as expected?

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.

Question 1easymultiple choice

Full question →

A
The condition keys used (ec2:InstanceType and ec2:ImageId) are not supported for the RunInstances action in IAM policies.
These condition keys are not supported for RunInstances; they are only available for certain resource-level permissions like DescribeInstances.
B
The policy is attached to the user but must also be attached to the IAM group.
Why wrong: Attaching to the user is sufficient; group attachment is not required.
C
The policy does not include an explicit deny statement for non-compliant launches.
Why wrong: An explicit deny is not needed if the condition is evaluated; the allow only applies when condition is met. However, the condition is not evaluated.
D
The condition is written incorrectly; it should use StringLike instead of StringEquals.
Why wrong: The condition key syntax is correct, but the keys are not applicable.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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 condition keys used (ec2:InstanceType and ec2:ImageId) are not supported for the RunInstances action in IAM policies.

Option A is correct because the `ec2:InstanceType` and `ec2:ImageId` condition keys are not supported for the `ec2:RunInstances` action in IAM policies. AWS IAM condition keys for EC2 are action-specific, and for RunInstances, only certain keys like `ec2:InstanceType` and `ec2:ImageId` are actually supported in the request context. However, the key detail is that `ec2:ImageId` is not a valid condition key for RunInstances; the correct key is `ec2:ImageId` is not listed in the AWS documentation for RunInstances, meaning the condition is silently ignored, allowing any AMI and instance type.

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.

✓
The condition keys used (ec2:InstanceType and ec2:ImageId) are not supported for the RunInstances action in IAM policies.
Why this is correct
These condition keys are not supported for RunInstances; they are only available for certain resource-level permissions like DescribeInstances.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The policy is attached to the user but must also be attached to the IAM group.
Why it's wrong here
Attaching to the user is sufficient; group attachment is not required.
✗
The policy does not include an explicit deny statement for non-compliant launches.
Why it's wrong here
An explicit deny is not needed if the condition is evaluated; the allow only applies when condition is met. However, the condition is not evaluated.
✗
The condition is written incorrectly; it should use StringLike instead of StringEquals.
Why it's wrong here
The condition key syntax is correct, but the keys are not applicable.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates assume all EC2 request parameters (like AMI ID) are automatically available as IAM condition keys, but AWS only documents specific condition keys per action, and using an unsupported key causes the condition to be ignored rather than denying the request.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Under the hood, AWS IAM condition keys are only evaluated for actions that explicitly support them in the service's authorization context. For `ec2:RunInstances`, the supported condition keys include `ec2:InstanceType`, `ec2:AvailabilityZone`, and `ec2:EbsOptimized`, but notably `ec2:ImageId` is not supported—only `ec2:ImageId` is not a valid key; instead, the AMI ID is part of the request parameters but not exposed as a condition key for RunInstances. This means any condition using `ec2:ImageId` is silently ignored, and the allow statement grants full access to launch any AMI and instance type, a common pitfall when administrators assume all request parameters are available as condition keys.

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.

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

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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

Related SCS-C02 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

Threat Detection and Incident Response practice questions

Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Threat Detection and Incident Response.

Security Logging and Monitoring practice questions

Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Security Logging and Monitoring.

Identity and Access Management practice questions

Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Identity and Access Management.

Management and Security Governance practice questions

Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Management and Security Governance.

Infrastructure Security practice questions

Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Infrastructure Security.

Data Protection practice questions

Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Data Protection.

SCS-C02 fundamentals practice questions

Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to SCS-C02 fundamentals.

SCS-C02 scenario practice questions

Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to SCS-C02 scenario.

SCS-C02 troubleshooting practice questions

Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to SCS-C02 troubleshooting.

Practice this exam

Start a free SCS-C02 practice session

Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.

10 questions 20 questions 30 questions 50 questions Timed 30

SCS-C02 practice-test guide →Study guide →Browse all practice tests

FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this SCS-C02 question test?

Identity and Access Management — This question tests Identity and Access Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The condition keys used (ec2:InstanceType and ec2:ImageId) are not supported for the RunInstances action in IAM policies. — Option A is correct because the `ec2:InstanceType` and `ec2:ImageId` condition keys are not supported for the `ec2:RunInstances` action in IAM policies. AWS IAM condition keys for EC2 are action-specific, and for RunInstances, only certain keys like `ec2:InstanceType` and `ec2:ImageId` are actually supported in the request context. However, the key detail is that `ec2:ImageId` is not a valid condition key for RunInstances; the correct key is `ec2:ImageId` is not listed in the AWS documentation for RunInstances, meaning the condition is silently ignored, allowing any AMI and instance type.

What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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?

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 →

How Courseiva writes practice questions · Editorial policy

Keep practising

Question Discussion

Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.

Loading comments…

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.