The correct answer is to apply an SCP that denies the `iam:CreateUser` action unless the request includes a condition for MFA presence. This works because Service Control Policies act as account-level permission boundaries in AWS Organizations, evaluated before any IAM policies, meaning they can block user creation across all member accounts even if an administrator has full IAM permissions. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how SCPs enforce preventive controls at the organization root, often appearing as a distractor where candidates mistakenly choose an IAM policy or a password policy instead. A common trap is forgetting that SCPs cannot grant permissions—they only deny or allow—so the correct approach uses a `Deny` effect with a `BoolIfExists` condition key like `aws:MultiFactorAuthPresent`. Memory tip: think "SCP Deny + MFA condition" as the only way to block creation before it happens, not after.
SCS-C02 Management and Security Governance Practice Question
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.
A company uses AWS Organizations with SCPs. The security team wants to ensure that no IAM user can be created without MFA. Which SCP should be applied at the root OU?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Deny iam:CreateUser unless the request includes a condition for MFA
Option C is correct because it uses a Service Control Policy (SCP) to deny the `iam:CreateUser` action unless the request includes a condition that MFA is present. SCPs are account-level permission boundaries in AWS Organizations, and this approach ensures that no IAM user can be created without MFA across all accounts in the organization, as SCPs are evaluated before any IAM policies.
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.
✗
Deny iam:CreateUser unconditionally
Why it's wrong here
This would prevent all user creation, not enforce MFA.
✗
Use an IAM policy to require MFA for API calls
Why it's wrong here
This is not an SCP and does not prevent user creation without MFA.
✓
Deny iam:CreateUser unless the request includes a condition for MFA
Why this is correct
This SCP denies creation of users without MFA requirement.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Attach an IAM policy to all users requiring MFA
Why it's wrong here
SCPs cannot attach IAM policies; they only deny or allow actions.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse SCPs with IAM policies, thinking an IAM policy can enforce MFA at the root OU level, but SCPs are the only mechanism that can apply organization-wide restrictions on actions like `iam:CreateUser`.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SCPs in AWS Organizations act as a centralized permission guardrail, evaluated before any IAM or resource-based policies. The condition `aws:MultiFactorAuthPresent` in an SCP can be used to require MFA for specific actions, but note that this condition key is only present when the user authenticates with MFA; if MFA is not used, the key is absent, causing the deny to apply. A real-world scenario is enforcing MFA for all IAM user creation in a multi-account environment to meet compliance standards like PCI DSS.
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.
Management and Security Governance — This question tests Management and Security Governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Deny iam:CreateUser unless the request includes a condition for MFA — Option C is correct because it uses a Service Control Policy (SCP) to deny the `iam:CreateUser` action unless the request includes a condition that MFA is present. SCPs are account-level permission boundaries in AWS Organizations, and this approach ensures that no IAM user can be created without MFA across all accounts in the organization, as SCPs are evaluated before any IAM policies.
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.
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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