- A
Use the root user for daily administration
Why wrong: Root user has unrestricted access, should be avoided.
- B
Use S3 bucket policies to allow all IAM users
Why wrong: Allowing all users is not least privilege.
- C
Grant only the necessary actions in IAM policies
This directly applies least privilege.
- D
Use SCPs to deny actions that are not required
SCPs can centrally enforce restrictions.
- E
Assign the AdministratorAccess managed policy to all users
Why wrong: This grants full access, violating least privilege.
Question 1,592 of 1,748
Enforce Least Privilege with IAM Policies & SCPs
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.
Which TWO actions are valid ways to enforce the principle of least privilege in an AWS environment?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"least"Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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
✓
Grant only the necessary actions in IAM policies
Options C and D are correct. Option C is correct because IAM policies should grant only the necessary actions, adhering to least privilege. Option D is correct because SCPs can deny actions that are not required across accounts, enforcing least privilege at the organization level. Option A is wrong because using the root user for daily administration grants unrestricted access, violating least privilege. Option B is wrong because S3 bucket policies that allow all IAM users do not restrict permissions per user. Option E is wrong because assigning the AdministratorAccess managed policy grants full access, contradicting least privilege.
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.
- ✗
Use the root user for daily administration
Why it's wrong here
Root user has unrestricted access, should be avoided.
- ✗
Use S3 bucket policies to allow all IAM users
Why it's wrong here
Allowing all users is not least privilege.
- ✓
Grant only the necessary actions in IAM policies
Why this is correct
This directly applies least privilege.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
- ✓
Use SCPs to deny actions that are not required
Why this is correct
SCPs can centrally enforce restrictions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
- ✗
Assign the AdministratorAccess managed policy to all users
Why it's wrong here
This grants full access, violating least privilege.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
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.
- →
Management and Security Governance — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Management and Security Governance practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
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All SCS-C02 questions
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AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 study guide
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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 — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Grant only the necessary actions in IAM policies — Options C and D are correct. Option C is correct because IAM policies should grant only the necessary actions, adhering to least privilege. Option D is correct because SCPs can deny actions that are not required across accounts, enforcing least privilege at the organization level. Option A is wrong because using the root user for daily administration grants unrestricted access, violating least privilege. Option B is wrong because S3 bucket policies that allow all IAM users do not restrict permissions per user. Option E is wrong because assigning the AdministratorAccess managed policy grants full access, contradicting least privilege.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on SCS-C02
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which TWO actions can be taken to enforce the principle of least privilege for IAM users in an AWS account? (Choose two.)
medium- ✓ A.Use IAM roles with temporary credentials for access
- B.Grant full administrative access to all users to simplify management
- C.Use service control policies (SCPs) to restrict user permissions
- D.Use the root user for daily administrative tasks
- ✓ E.Regularly review and remove unused IAM policies
Why A: Option A uses IAM roles with temporary credentials, which adheres to least privilege by providing only necessary permissions for a limited time. Option E involves regularly reviewing and removing unused IAM policies, which ensures that only required permissions are granted and eliminates excessive permissions. Option B (full admin) violates least privilege. Option C (SCP) applies to accounts/OU, not individual users. Option D (root user) should be avoided for daily tasks due to excessive permissions.
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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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