The answer is that an explicit Deny statement overrides any Allow, which is why the user cannot terminate the EC2 instance. In AWS IAM, when a policy includes both an Allow for ec2:* and a specific Deny for ec2:TerminateInstances, the explicit Deny takes absolute precedence over the Allow, regardless of the order in which the statements appear. This concept is a core testing point on the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, often appearing in scenario-based questions where a user has broad permissions but is inexplicably blocked from a single action. A common trap is assuming that a wildcard Allow like ec2:* will override a more specific Deny, but IAM’s evaluation logic is explicit: Deny always wins. To remember this, think of the mnemonic “Deny Defeats All”—no matter how many Allow statements exist, a single explicit Deny for an action will always block it.
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 attached the IAM policy shown in the exhibit to a user. The user is unable to terminate an EC2 instance. What is the MOST likely reason?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
An explicit Deny statement overrides the Allow statement.
Option C is correct. The Deny statement explicitly denies the ec2:TerminateInstances action, and an explicit Deny overrides any Allow. Option A is wrong because the policy allows ec2:* but the Deny takes precedence. Option B is wrong because ec2:* includes all ec2 actions. Option D is wrong because the policy allows all ec2 actions; the Deny is the cause.
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.
✗
The policy does not include ec2:TerminateInstances in the Allow statement.
Why it's wrong here
ec2:* includes all actions.
✗
The policy does not specify the correct resource ARN.
Why it's wrong here
The Deny specifies the correct resource.
✗
The policy does not allow ec2:* actions.
Why it's wrong here
ec2:* is allowed.
✓
An explicit Deny statement overrides the Allow statement.
Why this is correct
Explicit Deny always overrides Allow.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
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.
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — This question tests Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: An explicit Deny statement overrides the Allow statement. — Option C is correct. The Deny statement explicitly denies the ec2:TerminateInstances action, and an explicit Deny overrides any Allow. Option A is wrong because the policy allows ec2:* but the Deny takes precedence. Option B is wrong because ec2:* includes all ec2 actions. Option D is wrong because the policy allows all ec2 actions; the Deny is the cause.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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