The answer is AWS Config with the 'access-keys-rotated' managed rule and Amazon SNS. This combination works because the managed rule natively checks whether IAM user access keys have been rotated within the specified number of days—90 by default—and automatically flags any non-compliant keys. When a violation is detected, AWS Config can directly publish to an SNS topic, eliminating the need for custom code, Lambda functions, or additional infrastructure, which keeps operational overhead to an absolute minimum. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of managed, serverless compliance checks versus building custom solutions; a common trap is overcomplicating the answer by adding Lambda or CloudWatch Events when AWS Config’s native SNS integration already handles notification. Remember the mnemonic “Config Cuts Code”: when you see key rotation compliance, think Config’s managed rule plus SNS—no custom scripting required.
SOA-C02 Security and Compliance Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. 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 company's security policy requires that IAM users rotate their access keys every 90 days. The SysOps administrator must automatically identify users whose access keys are older than 90 days and notify the security team. Which combination of AWS services should be used to meet this requirement with the least operational overhead?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
AWS Config with the 'access-keys-rotated' managed rule and Amazon SNS
AWS Config's 'access-keys-rotated' managed rule checks whether IAM user access keys have been rotated within the specified number of days (default 90). When a non-compliant resource is detected, AWS Config can trigger an Amazon SNS notification directly, without any custom code or additional infrastructure. This combination provides a fully managed, serverless solution with the least operational overhead.
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.
✓
AWS Config with the 'access-keys-rotated' managed rule and Amazon SNS
Why this is correct
AWS Config evaluates IAM access keys against the rule and sends compliance notifications to SNS, which can email the security team.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
AWS CloudTrail and Amazon CloudWatch Logs with metric filters and alarms
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail logs key creation events but cannot directly assess the age of existing keys. Additional custom logic would be required.
✗
IAM Access Analyzer and AWS Lambda
Why it's wrong here
IAM Access Analyzer analyzes resource-based policies for public and cross-account access, not access key rotation status.
✗
Amazon GuardDuty and Amazon EventBridge
Why it's wrong here
GuardDuty detects malicious activity, not compliance with key rotation policies.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often overcomplicate the solution by choosing custom Lambda or CloudTrail-based approaches, missing that AWS Config provides a fully managed, built-in rule specifically designed for this exact compliance check with zero custom code.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The 'access-keys-rotated' managed rule in AWS Config evaluates the 'accessKeysRotated' compliance type by checking the 'CreateDate' of each IAM access key against the configured maxDays threshold (default 90). Under the hood, AWS Config uses a Lambda function (managed by AWS) to perform the evaluation, and it can directly invoke an SNS topic via the rule's 'Trigger' action when a resource becomes non-compliant. This avoids the need to write custom evaluation logic or manage a separate Lambda function.
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.
Security and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS Config with the 'access-keys-rotated' managed rule and Amazon SNS — AWS Config's 'access-keys-rotated' managed rule checks whether IAM user access keys have been rotated within the specified number of days (default 90). When a non-compliant resource is detected, AWS Config can trigger an Amazon SNS notification directly, without any custom code or additional infrastructure. This combination provides a fully managed, serverless solution with the least operational overhead.
What should I do if I get this SOA-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: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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