- A
The Deny statement is listed after an Allow statement in the policy
Why wrong: The order of Allow and Deny statements does not matter in IAM; an explicit Deny always overrides any Allow regardless of position. This is incorrect.
- B
IAM policies do not support deny statements with conditions
Why wrong: IAM policies fully support Deny statements with conditions. This is incorrect.
- C
The Deny statement includes a condition that is not met by the request
If a Deny statement includes a condition that is not met by the request, the Deny is not applied, so other Allow policies can take effect. This is correct.
- D
The user has an attached AWS managed policy that allows the action
Why wrong: An explicit Deny overrides any Allow, including those from AWS managed policies. If the Deny were fully applied, it would block the action. This is incorrect.
SOA-C02 IAM Policy Evaluation 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. A key principle to apply: iAM Policy Evaluation. 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 IAM policy that is not granting the expected permissions. The policy has a Deny effect on a specific action, but the user is still able to perform that action. 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 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
The Deny statement includes a condition that is not met by the request
IAM policy evaluation logic: by default, all requests are implicitly denied. An explicit allow overrides the default deny, and an explicit deny overrides any allow. If a Deny statement includes a condition, the Deny is only applied when the condition evaluates to true. If the condition is not met (e.g., the request does not match the specified IP address range or time), the Deny statement is not applied, and the action may be allowed by other policies. Therefore, the most likely reason the user can still perform the action is that the Deny statement's condition is not satisfied, making option C correct.
Key principle: IAM Policy Evaluation
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 Deny statement is listed after an Allow statement in the policy
Why it's wrong here
The order of Allow and Deny statements does not matter in IAM; an explicit Deny always overrides any Allow regardless of position. This is incorrect.
- ✗
IAM policies do not support deny statements with conditions
Why it's wrong here
IAM policies fully support Deny statements with conditions. This is incorrect.
- ✓
The Deny statement includes a condition that is not met by the request
Why this is correct
If a Deny statement includes a condition that is not met by the request, the Deny is not applied, so other Allow policies can take effect. This is correct.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
IAM Policy Evaluation
- ✗
The user has an attached AWS managed policy that allows the action
Why it's wrong here
An explicit Deny overrides any Allow, including those from AWS managed policies. If the Deny were fully applied, it would block the action. This is incorrect.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- IAM Policy Evaluation
- Condition in IAM Policy
- Explicit Deny
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
IAM Policy Evaluation
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 iAM Policy Evaluation, then practise related SOA-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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Security and Compliance — study guide chapter
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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 — IAM Policy Evaluation.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The Deny statement includes a condition that is not met by the request — IAM policy evaluation logic: by default, all requests are implicitly denied. An explicit allow overrides the default deny, and an explicit deny overrides any allow. If a Deny statement includes a condition, the Deny is only applied when the condition evaluates to true. If the condition is not met (e.g., the request does not match the specified IP address range or time), the Deny statement is not applied, and the action may be allowed by other policies. Therefore, the most likely reason the user can still perform the action is that the Deny statement's condition is not satisfied, making option C correct.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?
Review iAM Policy Evaluation, then practise related SOA-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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?
IAM Policy Evaluation
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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