- A
Set up an AWS Config rule to detect old keys and trigger an AWS Lambda function to rotate them.
This is a best practice using Config and Lambda to automate key rotation.
- B
Apply a service control policy (SCP) that requires key rotation.
Why wrong: SCPs are used to restrict permissions across accounts, not to automate key rotation.
- C
Configure an IAM policy that automatically rotates keys every 90 days.
Why wrong: IAM does not have a native automatic key rotation feature.
- D
Use AWS Trusted Advisor to automatically rotate the keys.
Why wrong: Trusted Advisor only checks key age and provides recommendations, not automated rotation.
Question 643 of 1,546
SOA-C02 Security and Compliance Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 team notices that an IAM user has access keys that have not been rotated in over a year. Which action should the SysOps administrator take to enforce key rotation automatically?
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
✓
Set up an AWS Config rule to detect old keys and trigger an AWS Lambda function to rotate them.
AWS Config can evaluate IAM user access keys against a custom or managed rule (e.g., 'access-keys-rotated') to detect keys older than a specified threshold. When a non-compliant key is found, you can configure an AWS Config rule to invoke an AWS Lambda function that programmatically deactivates the old key and creates a new one, enforcing automatic rotation. This is the only native, automated approach that combines detection and remediation without manual intervention.
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.
- ✓
Set up an AWS Config rule to detect old keys and trigger an AWS Lambda function to rotate them.
Why this is correct
This is a best practice using Config and Lambda to automate key rotation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Apply a service control policy (SCP) that requires key rotation.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs are used to restrict permissions across accounts, not to automate key rotation.
- ✗
Configure an IAM policy that automatically rotates keys every 90 days.
Why it's wrong here
IAM does not have a native automatic key rotation feature.
- ✗
Use AWS Trusted Advisor to automatically rotate the keys.
Why it's wrong here
Trusted Advisor only checks key age and provides recommendations, not automated rotation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse AWS Config's evaluation and remediation capabilities with IAM policies or Trusted Advisor, assuming those services can perform automated actions when they only provide static controls or recommendations.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the AWS Config rule 'access-keys-rotated' evaluates the 'AccessKeyLastUsed' and 'CreateDate' attributes of IAM access keys. When you pair it with a custom Lambda function, the function uses the 'UpdateAccessKey' and 'CreateAccessKey' API calls to deactivate the old key and generate a new one, then optionally notifies the user via SNS. A real-world scenario is a security policy requiring keys to be rotated every 90 days; without automation, users often forget, leading to compliance violations.
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.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
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.
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Security and Compliance — study guide chapter
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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 — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set up an AWS Config rule to detect old keys and trigger an AWS Lambda function to rotate them. — AWS Config can evaluate IAM user access keys against a custom or managed rule (e.g., 'access-keys-rotated') to detect keys older than a specified threshold. When a non-compliant key is found, you can configure an AWS Config rule to invoke an AWS Lambda function that programmatically deactivates the old key and creates a new one, enforcing automatic rotation. This is the only native, automated approach that combines detection and remediation without manual intervention.
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.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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