- A
AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager
Correct. AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager automates the process of patching managed nodes with both security-related and other types of updates. It uses the SSM Agent, which is preinstalled on many EC2 AMIs, to run patch scans and installations according to a schedule you define. Compliance reports are available directly in the AWS Systems Manager console.
- B
AWS Config
Why wrong: Incorrect. AWS Config is a service that evaluates your AWS resource configurations against desired policies and tracks configuration changes over time. It does not have the ability to install patches or manage patching schedules. It can only report on whether an EC2 instance is compliant with a rule that checks, for example, whether patches are installed, but it cannot perform the patching itself.
- C
Amazon Inspector
Why wrong: Incorrect. Amazon Inspector is an automated vulnerability management service that scans workloads for software vulnerabilities and unintended network exposure. It discovers vulnerabilities but does not apply patches. It provides a report of findings and recommendations, but the actual remediation (patching) must be done by another service or manually.
- D
AWS OpsWorks
Why wrong: Incorrect. AWS OpsWorks is a configuration management service that uses Chef or Puppet to manage configurations on EC2 instances. While it can be used to apply patches as part of a cookbook or module, it is not specifically designed for automated patching on a schedule with built-in compliance reporting. It requires more custom scripting and setup compared to Patch Manager. Also, OpsWorks typically requires the Chef or Puppet agent, which is not preinstalled on standard AMIs.
CLF-C02 Cloud Technology and Services Practice Question
This CLF-C02 practice question tests your understanding of cloud technology and services. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 runs a large fleet of Amazon EC2 instances across multiple environments (development, test, production). The security team requires a centralized, automated solution to apply operating system security patches on a regular schedule (e.g., every Tuesday at 2 AM). The solution must generate compliance reports showing which instances are patched and which are missing patches. The company wants a managed AWS service that works without requiring SSH or RDP access to the instances and does not require installing any custom agents. Which AWS service should the company 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 Systems Manager Patch Manager
AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager is a managed service that automates the process of patching managed nodes with both security-related and other types of updates. It can be configured to run on a schedule (e.g., every Tuesday at 2 AM) using a Systems Manager maintenance window, and it generates compliance reports via Systems Manager Inventory and Compliance. Patch Manager works without requiring SSH or RDP access because it uses the AWS Systems Manager Agent (SSM Agent), which is pre-installed on many Amazon EC2 AMIs and can be installed without interactive logon, and it does not require custom agents beyond the SSM Agent itself.
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 Systems Manager Patch Manager
Why this is correct
Correct. AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager automates the process of patching managed nodes with both security-related and other types of updates. It uses the SSM Agent, which is preinstalled on many EC2 AMIs, to run patch scans and installations according to a schedule you define. Compliance reports are available directly in the AWS Systems Manager console.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
AWS Config
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. AWS Config is a service that evaluates your AWS resource configurations against desired policies and tracks configuration changes over time. It does not have the ability to install patches or manage patching schedules. It can only report on whether an EC2 instance is compliant with a rule that checks, for example, whether patches are installed, but it cannot perform the patching itself.
- ✗
Amazon Inspector
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Amazon Inspector is an automated vulnerability management service that scans workloads for software vulnerabilities and unintended network exposure. It discovers vulnerabilities but does not apply patches. It provides a report of findings and recommendations, but the actual remediation (patching) must be done by another service or manually.
- ✗
AWS OpsWorks
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. AWS OpsWorks is a configuration management service that uses Chef or Puppet to manage configurations on EC2 instances. While it can be used to apply patches as part of a cookbook or module, it is not specifically designed for automated patching on a schedule with built-in compliance reporting. It requires more custom scripting and setup compared to Patch Manager. Also, OpsWorks typically requires the Chef or Puppet agent, which is not preinstalled on standard AMIs.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Amazon Inspector (which detects missing patches) with Patch Manager (which applies them), or assume AWS Config can enforce patching when it only evaluates configuration rules, not execute operational actions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Patch Manager leverages the AWS Systems Manager Agent (SSM Agent) to execute patch operations using a runbook (AWS-RunPatchBaseline) that runs locally on the instance, using the OS-native package manager (e.g., yum, apt, Windows Update API) to apply patches. Compliance data is collected by the SSM Agent and reported back to Systems Manager Inventory, where it can be queried via the AWS CLI, SDK, or console, and the patch baseline can be defined with custom approval rules for specific patch classifications (e.g., Critical, Security). A real-world scenario where this matters is a company with a hybrid environment that includes on-premises servers, as Patch Manager can also manage those if they are configured as managed instances with the SSM Agent and appropriate IAM roles.
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.
- →
Cloud Technology and Services — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Cloud Technology and Services practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All CLF-C02 questions
1,024 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
CLF-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related CLF-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Cloud Concepts practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to Cloud Concepts.
Security and Compliance practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to Security and Compliance.
Cloud Technology and Services practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to Cloud Technology and Services.
Billing, Pricing, and Support practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to Billing, Pricing, and Support.
AWS shared responsibility model practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS shared responsibility model.
AWS IAM practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS IAM.
AWS pricing practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS pricing.
AWS support plans practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS support plans.
AWS S3 practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS S3.
AWS EC2 practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS EC2.
Practice this exam
Start a free CLF-C02 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CLF-C02 question test?
Cloud Technology and Services — This question tests Cloud Technology and Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager — AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager is a managed service that automates the process of patching managed nodes with both security-related and other types of updates. It can be configured to run on a schedule (e.g., every Tuesday at 2 AM) using a Systems Manager maintenance window, and it generates compliance reports via Systems Manager Inventory and Compliance. Patch Manager works without requiring SSH or RDP access because it uses the AWS Systems Manager Agent (SSM Agent), which is pre-installed on many Amazon EC2 AMIs and can be installed without interactive logon, and it does not require custom agents beyond the SSM Agent itself.
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
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.