- A
Deactivate the user in the connected identity provider (e.g., Active Directory).
This immediately revokes all access across accounts via AWS SSO.
- B
Delete the corresponding IAM user in every AWS account.
Why wrong: With AWS SSO, IAM users are not created; access is via roles.
- C
Remove the user from all groups in AWS SSO.
Why wrong: This may not terminate existing sessions immediately.
- D
Delete the IAM role that the user assumes in each account.
Why wrong: Roles are shared; deleting them affects other users.
Question 272 of 1,748
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.
A company uses AWS SSO to manage access to multiple accounts. An employee leaves the company. What is the most efficient way to revoke all AWS access for that employee?
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
✓
Deactivate the user in the connected identity provider (e.g., Active Directory).
The most efficient way to revoke all AWS access for a former employee is to deactivate the user in the connected identity provider (e.g., Active Directory). AWS SSO relies on the external IdP for authentication; once the user is deactivated there, they cannot authenticate to AWS SSO, and all active SSO sessions are invalidated. This single action immediately blocks access across all accounts and applications federated through AWS SSO, without needing to touch individual IAM roles or accounts.
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.
- ✓
Deactivate the user in the connected identity provider (e.g., Active Directory).
Why this is correct
This immediately revokes all access across accounts via AWS SSO.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Delete the corresponding IAM user in every AWS account.
Why it's wrong here
With AWS SSO, IAM users are not created; access is via roles.
- ✗
Remove the user from all groups in AWS SSO.
Why it's wrong here
This may not terminate existing sessions immediately.
- ✗
Delete the IAM role that the user assumes in each account.
Why it's wrong here
Roles are shared; deleting them affects other users.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think AWS SSO groups or IAM roles are the primary control point, but the exam tests the understanding that the identity provider is the authoritative source for authentication, and deactivating there is the single, most efficient revocation point.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS SSO uses SAML 2.0 or OIDC to federate authentication from an external IdP. When a user is deactivated in the IdP, the IdP stops issuing SAML assertions or OIDC tokens, so AWS SSO cannot create a new session. Additionally, AWS SSO session tokens have a configurable duration (default 1 hour), but deactivating the user in the IdP ensures that even active sessions cannot be refreshed, effectively terminating access at the next token refresh cycle.
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.
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Identity and Access Management — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
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: Deactivate the user in the connected identity provider (e.g., Active Directory). — The most efficient way to revoke all AWS access for a former employee is to deactivate the user in the connected identity provider (e.g., Active Directory). AWS SSO relies on the external IdP for authentication; once the user is deactivated there, they cannot authenticate to AWS SSO, and all active SSO sessions are invalidated. This single action immediately blocks access across all accounts and applications federated through AWS SSO, without needing to touch individual IAM roles or accounts.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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