- A
Attach a managed policy that includes ec2:TerminateInstances directly to the user
Why wrong: This could work but is not the best practice; group-based management is preferred. The administrator should fix the group policy.
- B
Add the user to a different IAM group that has the required permissions
Why wrong: Adding to another group may not resolve if the new group also lacks the terminate permission; the root cause is the policy content.
- C
Check the user's permissions boundary for any restrictions
Why wrong: Permissions boundaries restrict maximum permissions but are not the first thing to check; the group policy is more likely the issue.
- D
Review and modify the IAM group policy to include ec2:TerminateInstances action
The issue is likely that the group policy lacks the terminate action; modifying the group policy will resolve it for all users in the group.
Quick Answer
The answer is to review and modify the IAM group policy to include the ec2:TerminateInstances action. This is correct because IAM policies explicitly define allowed actions; if the ec2:TerminateInstances permission is missing from the group policy attached to the user, the user can launch instances (if ec2:RunInstances is present) but cannot terminate them, as AWS denies any action not explicitly allowed by default. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of IAM policy evaluation logic and the common pitfall of confusing missing permissions with broader restrictions like SCPs or session policies—remember that SCPs affect all accounts in an organization, while a single user’s issue points to a group policy gap. A quick memory tip: “Launch without Terminate? Check the group’s permit list.”
SOA-C02 Security and Compliance Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. 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 SysOps administrator is troubleshooting an issue where an IAM user can launch EC2 instances but cannot terminate them. The user's permissions are based on an IAM group policy. Which action should the administrator take to resolve this?
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
Review and modify the IAM group policy to include ec2:TerminateInstances action
The administrator should review the group policy to ensure it includes ec2:TerminateInstances. The issue is likely a missing action in the policy, not a service control policy (SCP) or session policy issue, and simply adding the user to a new group won't fix the underlying policy gap.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Attach a managed policy that includes ec2:TerminateInstances directly to the user
Why it's wrong here
This could work but is not the best practice; group-based management is preferred. The administrator should fix the group policy.
- ✗
Add the user to a different IAM group that has the required permissions
Why it's wrong here
Adding to another group may not resolve if the new group also lacks the terminate permission; the root cause is the policy content.
- ✗
Check the user's permissions boundary for any restrictions
Why it's wrong here
Permissions boundaries restrict maximum permissions but are not the first thing to check; the group policy is more likely the issue.
- ✓
Review and modify the IAM group policy to include ec2:TerminateInstances action
Why this is correct
The issue is likely that the group policy lacks the terminate action; modifying the group policy will resolve it for all users in the group.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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 the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SOA-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
- →
Security and Compliance — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Security and Compliance practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SOA-C02 question test?
Security and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Review and modify the IAM group policy to include ec2:TerminateInstances action — The administrator should review the group policy to ensure it includes ec2:TerminateInstances. The issue is likely a missing action in the policy, not a service control policy (SCP) or session policy issue, and simply adding the user to a new group won't fix the underlying policy gap.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SOA-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This SOA-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 SOA-C02 exam.
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