The launch fails because the SCP denies RunInstances for instance types other than t2.micro and t2.small. This occurs because the SCP explicitly applies a deny effect to the ec2:RunInstances action when the ec2:InstanceType condition key does not match the allowed list, and since m5.large is excluded, the deny overrides any allow from IAM policies. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that SCPs act as a global guardrail at the organizational level, meaning they can block actions even if a developer has full IAM permissions—a common trap is assuming IAM allows alone guarantee success. Remember the key distinction: SCPs set the maximum available permissions, so a deny in an SCP always wins. Memory tip: “SCP denies first, IAM allows last”—if the SCP says no, the answer is no.
SCS-C02 Management and Security Governance Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of management and security governance. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. An organization applies this SCP to an OU containing a developer account. A developer in that account tries to launch an m5.large instance using the AWS Management Console. What is the outcome?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The launch fails because the SCP denies RunInstances for instance types other than t2.micro and t2.small.
The SCP explicitly denies the ec2:RunInstances action when the condition key ec2:InstanceType does not match t2.micro or t2.small. Since m5.large is not in the allowed list, the deny effect applies, and the launch fails regardless of any IAM policy that might allow it. SCPs act as a guardrail that overrides IAM permissions, so even if the developer has full IAM access, the SCP blocks the 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.
✗
The instance launches successfully because the SCP only applies to StartInstances, not RunInstances.
Why it's wrong here
The SCP denies both RunInstances and StartInstances.
✓
The launch fails because the SCP denies RunInstances for instance types other than t2.micro and t2.small.
Why this is correct
Condition StringNotEquals matches m5.large, so Deny applies.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The instance launches successfully because the SCP does not explicitly allow any actions.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs are deny lists; they can block actions even without an explicit allow.
✗
The launch fails only if the developer's IAM policy also denies the action.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs apply regardless of IAM policies; they cannot be overridden.
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 explicit allow in IAM can override an SCP deny, but SCPs act as a boundary that cannot be bypassed by any IAM permission.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SCPs use a deny-by-default model for actions not explicitly allowed, but they can also include explicit deny statements with conditions. The condition key ec2:InstanceType uses string matching; m5.large does not match t2.micro or t2.small, so the deny is triggered. In real-world scenarios, this SCP ensures cost control by restricting developer accounts to only T2 instance families, preventing accidental provisioning of larger, more expensive instances.
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: The launch fails because the SCP denies RunInstances for instance types other than t2.micro and t2.small. — The SCP explicitly denies the ec2:RunInstances action when the condition key ec2:InstanceType does not match t2.micro or t2.small. Since m5.large is not in the allowed list, the deny effect applies, and the launch fails regardless of any IAM policy that might allow it. SCPs act as a guardrail that overrides IAM permissions, so even if the developer has full IAM access, the SCP blocks the 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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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. This SCP is attached to an organizational unit (OU). A developer in an account within the OU tries to launch a t2.small instance. What is the outcome?
hard
A.The launch fails because the SCP denies all RunInstances actions.
B.The launch succeeds because the SCP allows t2.micro only.
✓ C.The launch fails because the SCP denies non-t2.micro instances.
D.The launch succeeds because SCPs do not apply to developers.
Why C: Option B is correct because the SCP denies ec2:RunInstances if the instance type is not t2.micro. Since t2.small is not t2.micro, the condition matches, and the action is denied. Option A is wrong because the condition is met. Option C is wrong because the condition applies to instance resource. Option D is wrong because SCPs apply to all principals.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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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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