- A
Attach policies directly to users
Why wrong: Policies should be attached to groups or roles for easier management.
- B
Rotate access keys regularly
Limits exposure of compromised keys.
- C
Use the root user for daily administration
Why wrong: Root user should be used only for account-level tasks.
- D
Grant least privilege permissions
Minimizes potential impact of compromised credentials.
- E
Enable MFA for all users
Adds an extra layer of security.
Question 416 of 1,546
IAM Security Best Practices — AWS SysOps Administrator Associate Explained
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. 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.
Which THREE security best practices should be followed when managing IAM users? (Choose three.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
✓
Rotate access keys regularly
Option B is correct because rotating access keys regularly limits the window of exposure if a key is compromised. AWS recommends rotating IAM user access keys every 90 days as a security best practice, and this can be enforced using an IAM policy that checks the key's creation date via the `aws:CurrentTime` condition key.
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.
- ✗
Attach policies directly to users
Why it's wrong here
Policies should be attached to groups or roles for easier management.
- ✓
Rotate access keys regularly
Why this is correct
Limits exposure of compromised keys.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use the root user for daily administration
Why it's wrong here
Root user should be used only for account-level tasks.
- ✓
Grant least privilege permissions
Why this is correct
Minimizes potential impact of compromised credentials.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Enable MFA for all users
Why this is correct
Adds an extra layer of security.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think attaching policies directly to users is acceptable for simplicity, but AWS explicitly recommends using groups for scalable permission management, and the exam tests this distinction.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
IAM access keys consist of an access key ID and a secret access key used for programmatic access via the AWS CLI, SDKs, or APIs. When rotating keys, you must create a new key, update all applications to use the new key, and then deactivate and delete the old key; failing to update applications before deletion can cause service disruptions. AWS CloudTrail logs all API calls made with access keys, enabling you to audit key usage and detect anomalies.
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.
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.
- →
Security and Compliance — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the 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: Rotate access keys regularly — Option B is correct because rotating access keys regularly limits the window of exposure if a key is compromised. AWS recommends rotating IAM user access keys every 90 days as a security best practice, and this can be enforced using an IAM policy that checks the key's creation date via the `aws:CurrentTime` condition key.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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