- A
Use AWS Service Catalog to provision accounts with pre-defined tags.
Why wrong: Service Catalog provisions products, not accounts.
- B
Use AWS Config rules to detect untagged resources and send alerts.
Why wrong: Alerts do not prevent the removal of tags.
- C
Create an IAM policy in each account that prohibits tag removal.
Why wrong: Less scalable and may be overridden by account admins.
- D
Apply an SCP that denies changes to the specified tags for all accounts in the Production OU.
SCPs can deny actions that would modify protected tags.
Question 1,168 of 1,748
SCS-C02 Management and Security Governance Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of management and security governance. 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.
An organization uses AWS Organizations with multiple OUs. The security team wants to ensure that any new account created in the 'Production' OU automatically gets a set of mandatory tags (CostCenter, Environment) and that these tags cannot be removed. What is the most effective approach?
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
✓
Apply an SCP that denies changes to the specified tags for all accounts in the Production OU.
Option D is correct. An SCP can be applied to the Production OU in AWS Organizations to deny actions that modify the specified tags (using the aws:TagKeys condition key). This prevents removal or modification of CostCenter and Environment tags. Option A is wrong because AWS Service Catalog can provision resources but does not enforce tag immutability across accounts. Option B is wrong because AWS Config rules are detective, not preventive. Option C is wrong because IAM policies in each account are less centralized and harder to manage; SCPs provide a central control.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use AWS Service Catalog to provision accounts with pre-defined tags.
Why it's wrong here
Service Catalog provisions products, not accounts.
- ✗
Use AWS Config rules to detect untagged resources and send alerts.
Why it's wrong here
Alerts do not prevent the removal of tags.
- ✗
Create an IAM policy in each account that prohibits tag removal.
Why it's wrong here
Less scalable and may be overridden by account admins.
- ✓
Apply an SCP that denies changes to the specified tags for all accounts in the Production OU.
Why this is correct
SCPs can deny actions that would modify protected tags.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
- The first matching ACL entry is used.
- There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
- Check inbound versus outbound direction.
- Read the ACL from top to bottom.
- Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SCS-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
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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 — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Apply an SCP that denies changes to the specified tags for all accounts in the Production OU. — Option D is correct. An SCP can be applied to the Production OU in AWS Organizations to deny actions that modify the specified tags (using the aws:TagKeys condition key). This prevents removal or modification of CostCenter and Environment tags. Option A is wrong because AWS Service Catalog can provision resources but does not enforce tag immutability across accounts. Option B is wrong because AWS Config rules are detective, not preventive. Option C is wrong because IAM policies in each account are less centralized and harder to manage; SCPs provide a central control.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SCS-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
About these practice questions
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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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