The answer is to delete any access keys associated with the root user and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on the root user. These two practices are correct because the root user possesses unrestricted administrative privileges, and long-term access keys create a persistent credential that can be stolen or misused, while MFA adds a critical second authentication factor that protects against password compromise. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this concept tests your understanding of the AWS shared responsibility model and the principle of least privilege, often appearing in a multiple-select question where a common trap is to choose “create an IAM role for the root user” or “use the root user for daily tasks”—both of which violate best practices. A reliable memory tip is “lock the keys, double the lock”: remove all root user access keys (lock the keys) and always enable MFA (double the lock) to prevent full account takeover.
SCS-C02 Threat Detection and Incident Response Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of threat detection and incident response. 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.
Which TWO are best practices for securing an AWS account's root user? (Choose two.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on the root user.
Option C is correct because enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) on the root user adds a second layer of security beyond the password and is the single most effective control to prevent unauthorized access to the most privileged account in an AWS environment. AWS strongly recommends MFA for the root user as it mitigates the risk of credential theft or compromise, which could lead to full account takeover and irreversible damage.
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.
✗
Share the root user credentials with the security team.
Why it's wrong here
Credentials should not be shared.
✗
Delete the root user account.
Why it's wrong here
Root user cannot be deleted.
✓
Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on the root user.
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Delete any access keys associated with the root user.
Why this is correct
Root access keys are not needed and pose a risk.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use the root user for daily administrative tasks.
Why it's wrong here
Root user should be used only for limited tasks.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think deleting the root user (Option B) is possible or that sharing credentials with a team (Option A) is a valid security practice, when in fact AWS prohibits deletion of the root user and sharing credentials violates security best practices.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the root user has unrestricted access to all AWS services and resources, including the ability to delete the account or modify billing information. AWS CloudTrail logs all root user actions, but without MFA, a single compromised password can lead to a full account takeover. In a real-world scenario, if an attacker gains root access, they can create new IAM users, modify S3 bucket policies to expose data, or launch EC2 instances for cryptomining—all of which can be prevented by enforcing MFA and removing access keys.
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.
Threat Detection and Incident Response — This question tests Threat Detection and Incident Response — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on the root user. — Option C is correct because enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) on the root user adds a second layer of security beyond the password and is the single most effective control to prevent unauthorized access to the most privileged account in an AWS environment. AWS strongly recommends MFA for the root user as it mitigates the risk of credential theft or compromise, which could lead to full account takeover and irreversible damage.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
Question Discussion
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