- A
Add a 'DeletionPolicy' attribute set to 'Retain' on the security group resource.
Why wrong: 'DeletionPolicy' controls the behavior when a resource is removed from the stack or the stack is deleted. It does not protect against replacement during update operations.
- B
Add a 'CreationPolicy' attribute to the security group resource.
Why wrong: 'CreationPolicy' is used to wait for signals from resources like EC2 instances before marking them as created. It does not affect update behavior.
- C
Define a stack policy that denies replacement of the security group resource.
A stack policy can specify the allowed update actions per resource. By denying the 'Replace' action for the security group, CloudFormation will fail updates that would require recreating the security group, protecting it from accidental replacement.
- D
Use an 'UpdatePolicy' attribute with 'AutoScalingReplacingUpdate' on the security group.
Why wrong: 'UpdatePolicy' is used for Auto Scaling groups or for rolling updates on certain resources. It does not apply to security groups, and it does not prevent resource replacement.
SOA-C02 Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of deployment, provisioning, and automation. 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 SysOps administrator uses AWS CloudFormation to deploy a stack that includes an Amazon EC2 instance and a security group. The administrator wants to ensure that when the stack is updated, the security group is not accidentally replaced if its properties change. The administrator wants to receive a failure if an update would require replacement of the security group. Which CloudFormation feature should the administrator use?
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
Define a stack policy that denies replacement of the security group resource.
Option C is correct because a stack policy can explicitly deny update actions that would replace a resource, such as the security group. By defining a stack policy with a Deny statement for the 'Replace' effect on the security group's logical resource ID, CloudFormation will fail the update if any property change triggers a replacement, preventing accidental deletion and recreation.
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.
- ✗
Add a 'DeletionPolicy' attribute set to 'Retain' on the security group resource.
Why it's wrong here
'DeletionPolicy' controls the behavior when a resource is removed from the stack or the stack is deleted. It does not protect against replacement during update operations.
- ✗
Add a 'CreationPolicy' attribute to the security group resource.
Why it's wrong here
'CreationPolicy' is used to wait for signals from resources like EC2 instances before marking them as created. It does not affect update behavior.
- ✓
Define a stack policy that denies replacement of the security group resource.
Why this is correct
A stack policy can specify the allowed update actions per resource. By denying the 'Replace' action for the security group, CloudFormation will fail updates that would require recreating the security group, protecting it from accidental replacement.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use an 'UpdatePolicy' attribute with 'AutoScalingReplacingUpdate' on the security group.
Why it's wrong here
'UpdatePolicy' is used for Auto Scaling groups or for rolling updates on certain resources. It does not apply to security groups, and it does not prevent resource replacement.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'DeletionPolicy' (which only applies on stack deletion) with preventing replacement during updates, or mistakenly think 'UpdatePolicy' or 'CreationPolicy' can control resource replacement behavior.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Stack policies are JSON-based IAM-like policies that define allowed or denied update actions on specific resources, using 'Effect', 'Action' (e.g., 'Update:Replace'), and 'Resource' (logical resource ID). Under the hood, CloudFormation evaluates the stack policy before performing any update action; if a Deny matches, the entire update fails with a 'StackPolicyViolation' error. This is critical in production environments where security group rules are frequently modified but the security group itself must never be replaced to avoid losing existing network associations.
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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
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.
- →
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All SOA-C02 questions
1,546 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
SOA-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related SOA-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation.
Reliability and Business Continuity practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Reliability and Business Continuity.
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation.
Security and Compliance practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Security and Compliance.
Networking and Content Delivery practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Networking and Content Delivery.
Cost and Performance Optimization practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Cost and Performance Optimization.
SOA-C02 fundamentals practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 fundamentals.
SOA-C02 scenario practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 scenario.
SOA-C02 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free SOA-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 SOA-C02 question test?
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — This question tests Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Define a stack policy that denies replacement of the security group resource. — Option C is correct because a stack policy can explicitly deny update actions that would replace a resource, such as the security group. By defining a stack policy with a Deny statement for the 'Replace' effect on the security group's logical resource ID, CloudFormation will fail the update if any property change triggers a replacement, preventing accidental deletion and recreation.
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.
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 →
Keep practising
More SOA-C02 practice questions
- A company uses an Amazon DynamoDB table with on-demand capacity mode. The table handles a workload with a steady baselin…
- A company uses Amazon CloudWatch Logs to store application logs. The SysOps administrator needs to count the occurrences…
- A SysOps administrator needs to monitor the CPU utilization of an Amazon EC2 instance and send an alert when it exceeds…
- A SysOps administrator needs to monitor the CPU utilization of an Amazon EC2 instance fleet and send an alert when the a…
- A company's security policy requires that all Amazon S3 buckets must have server-side encryption enabled. The SysOps adm…
- A SysOps administrator uses AWS CloudFormation to deploy a stack that includes an Amazon EC2 instance. The administrator…
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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.
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.