- A
The user can perform PutItem because the IAM policy allows it.
Why wrong: SCP denies override IAM allows.
- B
The user cannot perform PutItem because the SCP denies all DynamoDB actions and IAM allows are overridden.
SCP deny takes precedence over IAM allow.
- C
The user cannot perform PutItem because the SCP applies only to the root account.
Why wrong: SCP applies to all users in the OU.
- D
The user can perform PutItem only if the SCP has an explicit allow.
Why wrong: SCP denies override; an allow in SCP would not help because the SCP denies all.
Question 654 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 Organizations with SCPs. The SCP for the production OU denies all actions on DynamoDB. An IAM policy attached to a user in that OU allows dynamodb:PutItem. What is the effective access?
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
✓
The user cannot perform PutItem because the SCP denies all DynamoDB actions and IAM allows are overridden.
The correct answer is B: the user cannot perform PutItem because the SCP denies all DynamoDB actions, and an explicit deny in an SCP overrides any allow from IAM policies. Option A is incorrect because SCPs apply to all principals in the OU and deny overrides allow. Option C is incorrect because SCPs apply to all accounts in the OU, not just the root account. Option D is incorrect because the SCP does not need an explicit allow; it is deny-by-default for actions not explicitly allowed, but here it has an explicit deny, which overrides any allow.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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 user can perform PutItem because the IAM policy allows it.
Why it's wrong here
SCP denies override IAM allows.
- ✓
The user cannot perform PutItem because the SCP denies all DynamoDB actions and IAM allows are overridden.
Why this is correct
SCP deny takes precedence over IAM allow.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- ✗
The user cannot perform PutItem because the SCP applies only to the root account.
Why it's wrong here
SCP applies to all users in the OU.
- ✗
The user can perform PutItem only if the SCP has an explicit allow.
Why it's wrong here
SCP denies override; an allow in SCP would not help because the SCP denies all.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
- The first matching ACL entry is used.
- There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
- Check inbound versus outbound direction.
- Read the ACL from top to bottom.
- Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SCS-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
- →
Identity and Access Management — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Identity and Access Management practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All SCS-C02 questions
1,748 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
SCS-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related SCS-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Threat Detection and Incident Response practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Threat Detection and Incident Response.
Security Logging and Monitoring practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Security Logging and Monitoring.
Identity and Access Management practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Identity and Access Management.
Management and Security Governance practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Management and Security Governance.
Infrastructure Security practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Infrastructure Security.
Data Protection practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Data Protection.
SCS-C02 fundamentals practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to SCS-C02 fundamentals.
SCS-C02 scenario practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to SCS-C02 scenario.
SCS-C02 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to SCS-C02 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free SCS-C02 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Identity and Access Management — This question tests Identity and Access Management — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The user cannot perform PutItem because the SCP denies all DynamoDB actions and IAM allows are overridden. — The correct answer is B: the user cannot perform PutItem because the SCP denies all DynamoDB actions, and an explicit deny in an SCP overrides any allow from IAM policies. Option A is incorrect because SCPs apply to all principals in the OU and deny overrides allow. Option C is incorrect because SCPs apply to all accounts in the OU, not just the root account. Option D is incorrect because the SCP does not need an explicit allow; it is deny-by-default for actions not explicitly allowed, but here it has an explicit deny, which overrides any allow.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SCS-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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 →
Keep practising
More SCS-C02 practice questions
- A company uses AWS Organizations with multiple accounts. The security team wants to enforce that all Amazon S3 buckets a…
- A company is designing a multi-tier web application on AWS. The web tier must be accessible from the internet, but the a…
- A company is migrating a legacy application to AWS. The application requires two-way communication between the web serve…
- A security engineer is troubleshooting connectivity issues between an Amazon EC2 instance in a VPC and an on-premises se…
- A security engineer is reviewing the SQS queue policy shown in the exhibit. The queue is subscribed to an SNS topic in t…
- A company uses AWS Organizations with multiple accounts. The security team wants to ensure that all IAM users in the pro…
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.