- A
AWS Config
AWS Config provides managed rules to evaluate the configuration of AWS resources. The 'iam-user-mfa-enabled' rule checks MFA status on every IAM user and can trigger notifications for non-compliant resources.
- B
AWS CloudTrail
Why wrong: AWS CloudTrail records API calls for auditing, but it does not evaluate resource configurations against compliance rules or provide automated notifications about configuration states.
- C
Amazon GuardDuty
Why wrong: Amazon GuardDuty is a threat detection service that analyzes logs and network activity for malicious behavior. It does not monitor IAM user MFA configuration compliance.
- D
AWS Trusted Advisor
Why wrong: AWS Trusted Advisor checks for security best practices, but its MFA check only covers the root account, not all IAM users. It also does not provide continuous evaluation or event-driven alerts for specific resource configuration changes.
Quick Answer
The answer is AWS Config. This service is correct because it offers a managed rule called iam-user-mfa-enabled that continuously evaluates all IAM users against the compliance requirement, automatically verifying that MFA is enabled. When a new user is created without MFA, AWS Config detects the non-compliance and can trigger an Amazon SNS notification, meeting both the verification and alerting needs without manual intervention. On the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of how AWS Config differs from services like IAM itself or CloudTrail—IAM manages permissions but doesn’t enforce ongoing compliance, while CloudTrail only logs actions. A common trap is choosing IAM because it can enforce MFA at the policy level, but that requires manual setup per user; AWS Config automates the detection and notification. Memory tip: think “Config checks compliance, then notifies”—it’s the auditor, not the enforcer.
CLF-C02 Security and Compliance Practice Question
This CLF-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.
A company has 200 IAM users. The security team needs to automatically verify that every IAM user has enabled multi-factor authentication (MFA) for console access. They also need to receive a notification whenever a new user is created without MFA so they can enforce the policy. Which AWS service should the security team use to meet these requirements?
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
AWS Config
AWS Config is correct because it provides managed rules like 'iam-user-mfa-enabled' that can continuously evaluate whether all IAM users have MFA enabled. When a new user is created without MFA, AWS Config can trigger an Amazon SNS notification via its compliance change event, meeting both the verification and notification requirements automatically.
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.
- ✓
AWS Config
Why this is correct
AWS Config provides managed rules to evaluate the configuration of AWS resources. The 'iam-user-mfa-enabled' rule checks MFA status on every IAM user and can trigger notifications for non-compliant resources.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
AWS CloudTrail
Why it's wrong here
AWS CloudTrail records API calls for auditing, but it does not evaluate resource configurations against compliance rules or provide automated notifications about configuration states.
- ✗
Amazon GuardDuty
Why it's wrong here
Amazon GuardDuty is a threat detection service that analyzes logs and network activity for malicious behavior. It does not monitor IAM user MFA configuration compliance.
- ✗
AWS Trusted Advisor
Why it's wrong here
AWS Trusted Advisor checks for security best practices, but its MFA check only covers the root account, not all IAM users. It also does not provide continuous evaluation or event-driven alerts for specific resource configuration changes.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse CloudTrail's API logging with Config's continuous compliance evaluation, assuming that recording user creation events is sufficient to enforce MFA, but CloudTrail lacks the ability to assess resource state or trigger notifications based on compliance status.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Config evaluates resources against desired configurations using managed or custom rules, with results stored as configuration items in a timeline. The 'iam-user-mfa-enabled' rule checks the 'LoginProfile' and 'MFADevices' attributes of each IAM user; if MFA is absent, the resource is marked noncompliant, and Config can invoke a Lambda function or publish to SNS for real-time alerts. In a real-world scenario, this enables automated remediation (e.g., disabling access keys) alongside notification.
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.
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Security and Compliance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CLF-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: AWS Config — AWS Config is correct because it provides managed rules like 'iam-user-mfa-enabled' that can continuously evaluate whether all IAM users have MFA enabled. When a new user is created without MFA, AWS Config can trigger an Amazon SNS notification via its compliance change event, meeting both the verification and notification requirements automatically.
What should I do if I get this CLF-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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This CLF-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services 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 CLF-C02 exam.
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