CCSP Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security Practice Question
This CCSP practice question tests your understanding of cloud platform and infrastructure security. 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 company wants to enforce that all EC2 instances launched in a specific AWS account are tagged with the key "Environment" and "Owner". What is the most effective way to enforce this policy?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Apply a service control policy (SCP) that requires tags on resource creation.
Option C is correct because AWS Organizations Service Control Policies (SCPs) can be applied at the account level to deny the creation of EC2 instances that do not include the required 'Environment' and 'Owner' tags. SCPs are evaluated before the resource is created, providing a preventive control that blocks non-compliant launches at the API level, unlike detective or reactive approaches.
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.
✗
Use AWS Resource Groups to create a group that filters tagged instances.
Why it's wrong here
Resource Groups organize existing resources but do not enforce tagging.
✗
Enable CloudTrail to monitor instance launches and alert on missing tags.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail provides audit logs but does not prevent the launch.
✓
Apply a service control policy (SCP) that requires tags on resource creation.
Why this is correct
SCPs can use condition keys like aws:RequestTag to require tags, preventing creation of untagged resources.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Configure AWS Config rules to automatically tag untagged instances.
Why it's wrong here
Config rules are detective/corrective, not preventive.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the distinction between preventive controls (SCPs) and detective/reactive controls (AWS Config, CloudTrail), and the trap here is that candidates confuse AWS Config's auto-remediation with true enforcement, not realizing that Config only acts after the resource is created.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SCPs use AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) policy language with a 'Deny' effect on the 'ec2:RunInstances' action, using condition keys like 'aws:RequestTag' or 'aws:TagKeys' to require specific tags. Under the hood, SCPs are evaluated by AWS Organizations before the IAM policy evaluation, meaning they can override even administrator permissions. In a real-world scenario, this ensures that any automation or user attempting to launch an instance without the mandatory tags is immediately blocked, maintaining compliance from the start.
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 developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
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.
Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security — This question tests Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Apply a service control policy (SCP) that requires tags on resource creation. — Option C is correct because AWS Organizations Service Control Policies (SCPs) can be applied at the account level to deny the creation of EC2 instances that do not include the required 'Environment' and 'Owner' tags. SCPs are evaluated before the resource is created, providing a preventive control that blocks non-compliant launches at the API level, unlike detective or reactive approaches.
What should I do if I get this CCSP 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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This CCSP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CCSP exam.
Question Discussion
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