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.
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. An IAM user 'ExternalUser' from account 111111111111 tries to assume the role 'MyRole' in account 123456789012 but receives an error. The user has a policy that allows sts:AssumeRole. What is the most likely reason for the failure?
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The user's AWS account has a service control policy (SCP) that denies sts:AssumeRole.
Option B is correct because the trust policy allows the specific user ARN, but if the user does not have permission to assume the role from their account, they need an IAM policy allowing sts:AssumeRole on that role. The question says the user has such a policy, so that is not the issue. Option A is wrong because the trust policy does specify a principal. Option C is wrong because the trust policy does not require MFA. Option D is wrong because the role exists. The error may be due to the user not having the correct trust policy? Actually, the trust policy allows the user, so that's fine. Another possibility is that the user's account has an SCP that denies sts:AssumeRole. So option B is plausible: the user's account might have a service control policy (SCP) that denies the action. However, the question says 'the user has a policy that allows sts:AssumeRole' but an SCP could override. So B is correct.
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 role does not exist in the target account.
Why it's wrong here
The CLI output confirms the role exists.
✓
The user's AWS account has a service control policy (SCP) that denies sts:AssumeRole.
Why this is correct
SCP can deny the action even if the user has an allow policy.
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 user must have MFA enabled to assume the role.
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The CLI output confirms the role exists.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 SCS-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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 user's AWS account has a service control policy (SCP) that denies sts:AssumeRole. — Option B is correct because the trust policy allows the specific user ARN, but if the user does not have permission to assume the role from their account, they need an IAM policy allowing sts:AssumeRole on that role. The question says the user has such a policy, so that is not the issue. Option A is wrong because the trust policy does specify a principal. Option C is wrong because the trust policy does not require MFA. Option D is wrong because the role exists. The error may be due to the user not having the correct trust policy? Actually, the trust policy allows the user, so that's fine. Another possibility is that the user's account has an SCP that denies sts:AssumeRole. So option B is plausible: the user's account might have a service control policy (SCP) that denies the action. However, the question says 'the user has a policy that allows sts:AssumeRole' but an SCP could override. So B is correct.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SCS-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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.
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Question Discussion
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