Quick Answer
The answer is aws:SourceVpc. This IAM policy condition key is correct because it allows you to restrict role assumption requests to those originating from a specific VPC ID, effectively locking down the trusted network path regardless of the source IP address. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this concept tests your understanding of network-based condition keys for IAM trust policies, often appearing in scenario-based questions where a security engineer must enforce a VPC-only access boundary. A common trap is confusing aws:SourceVpc with aws:SourceIp, but remember that aws:SourceIp checks individual IP addresses, which can be unreliable in dynamic VPC environments with NAT gateways or load balancers. For a quick memory tip, think "VPC equals VPC" — the key name directly matches the resource it restricts, making it the intuitive choice for VPC-level constraints.
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of identity and access management. 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 security engineer needs to ensure that an IAM role can be assumed only from a specific VPC. Which IAM policy condition key should be used?
aws:RequestedRegion
Why wrong: Restricts to a region.
aws:VpcSourceIp
Why wrong: Not a valid condition key.
aws:SourceVpc
Restricts to the specified VPC.
aws:SourceIp
Why wrong: Restricts to IP address, not VPC.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
aws:SourceVpc
Option B is correct because aws:SourceVpc restricts requests to originate from a specific VPC. Option A is wrong because aws:SourceIp is for IP addresses. Option C is wrong because aws:VpcSourceIp is not a condition key. Option D is wrong because aws:RequestedRegion is for region.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
aws:RequestedRegion
Why it's wrong here
Restricts to a region.
aws:VpcSourceIp
Why it's wrong here
Not a valid condition key.
aws:SourceVpc
Why this is correct
Restricts to the specified VPC.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
aws:SourceIp
Why it's wrong here
Restricts to IP address, not VPC.
Common exam traps
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
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
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SCS-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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FAQ
Identity and Access Management — This question tests Identity and Access Management — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
The correct answer is: aws:SourceVpc — Option B is correct because aws:SourceVpc restricts requests to originate from a specific VPC. Option A is wrong because aws:SourceIp is for IP addresses. Option C is wrong because aws:VpcSourceIp is not a condition key. Option D is wrong because aws:RequestedRegion is for region.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SCS-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Same concept, more angles
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. A security engineer needs to ensure that an IAM role can only be assumed by a specific EC2 instance. The instance has a tag 'Environment=Production'. Which condition key should be used in the trust policy of the role?
mediumWhy D: Option B is correct because 'aws:EC2InstanceSourceVPC' is not a valid key; the correct key is 'ec2:ResourceTag' to check instance tags. Option A is incorrect because 'aws:SourceArn' is used for services like Lambda. Option C is incorrect because 'aws:SourceAccount' checks the account. Option D is incorrect because 'aws:UserAgent' checks the user agent.
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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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