The answer is to use AWS IAM Access Analyzer to generate and refine the IAM policy based on actual usage. This is correct because Access Analyzer analyzes CloudTrail logs over a specified period to create a policy that includes only the API calls the Lambda function has actually made, directly enforcing least privilege by eliminating permissions for unintended actions. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to prevent lateral movement after a compromise—a common trap is assuming manual policy reviews are sufficient, but Access Analyzer provides evidence-based refinement. Remember the memory tip: “Access Analyzer audits actions, not assumptions.”
SCS-C02 Threat Detection and Incident Response Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of threat detection and incident response. 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 uses AWS Lambda functions to process sensitive data. The security team wants to ensure that if a Lambda function is compromised, the attacker cannot use the function's IAM role to access other AWS resources. The team has implemented the principle of least privilege by restricting the IAM role's permissions. However, they are concerned about a scenario where an attacker could use the Lambda function to execute AWS API calls that are not intended by the application. What additional measure should the team implement to reduce the risk of such lateral movement?
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 the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use AWS IAM Access Analyzer to generate and refine the IAM policy based on actual usage.
Option A is correct because AWS IAM Access Analyzer can generate IAM policies based on the actual API calls made by the Lambda function over a specified period. By reviewing and refining the policy to include only those actions, the team can further tighten least privilege beyond manual estimation, reducing the risk that an attacker could abuse unintended API calls. This directly addresses the concern of lateral movement by ensuring the function's role cannot perform actions not observed in normal operation.
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.
✓
Use AWS IAM Access Analyzer to generate and refine the IAM policy based on actual usage.
Why this is correct
Helps create least privilege policies by analyzing usage patterns.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable AWS CloudTrail data events for the Lambda function.
Why it's wrong here
Detective, not preventive.
✗
Attach a service control policy (SCP) that denies all actions except those explicitly allowed.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs apply at the account level, not just the function.
✗
Place the Lambda function inside a VPC with no internet access.
Why it's wrong here
Does not prevent API calls to AWS services via VPC endpoints or internet.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse service control policies (SCPs) with IAM permissions boundaries or think they can be applied to individual resources, when in fact SCPs only affect accounts in an organization and cannot be attached to a Lambda function.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
IAM Access Analyzer uses policy generation based on CloudTrail logs to create a fine-grained policy that includes only the actions, resources, and conditions actually used. This process can be automated with the `CreatePolicyGenerator` API, and the generated policy can be tested with IAM Access Analyzer's policy validation to ensure it grants no excess permissions. In a real-world scenario, a Lambda function processing S3 objects might have a manually written policy that accidentally includes `s3:ListAllMyBuckets`, which an attacker could exploit to enumerate buckets; Access Analyzer would exclude that action if it was never used.
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.
Threat Detection and Incident Response — This question tests Threat Detection and Incident Response — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use AWS IAM Access Analyzer to generate and refine the IAM policy based on actual usage. — Option A is correct because AWS IAM Access Analyzer can generate IAM policies based on the actual API calls made by the Lambda function over a specified period. By reviewing and refining the policy to include only those actions, the team can further tighten least privilege beyond manual estimation, reducing the risk that an attacker could abuse unintended API calls. This directly addresses the concern of lateral movement by ensuring the function's role cannot perform actions not observed in normal operation.
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: "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?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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