- 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.
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.
When this WOULD be correct
A security team needs to audit all IAM user creation events and receive real-time alerts when a new user is created without MFA. CloudTrail can be used with CloudWatch Events to trigger a notification on the CreateUser API call, and then a custom Lambda function can check MFA status.
- ✗
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.
When this WOULD be correct
A company needs to continuously monitor AWS accounts for suspicious API calls, such as unusual IAM user creation patterns or potential credential compromise, and receive alerts for security findings. GuardDuty would be the correct service to detect and notify about such threats.
- ✗
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.
When this WOULD be correct
A company wants a high-level assessment of their AWS account against best practices, including checking if MFA is enabled on the root account, and needs a summary report with recommendations. Trusted Advisor would be the correct service for this advisory check.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The CLF-C02 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓AWS ConfigCorrect answer▾
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.
✗AWS CloudTrailWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
AWS CloudTrail records API activity but does not continuously evaluate resource configurations like MFA status or trigger notifications for non-compliant users.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A security team needs to audit all IAM user creation events and receive real-time alerts when a new user is created without MFA. CloudTrail can be used with CloudWatch Events to trigger a notification on the CreateUser API call, and then a custom Lambda function can check MFA status.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think CloudTrail can monitor user creation events and trigger notifications, but they overlook that it does not natively evaluate MFA configuration compliance without additional custom logic.
✗Amazon GuardDutyWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Amazon GuardDuty is a threat detection service that monitors for malicious activity and unauthorized behavior, not for verifying IAM user MFA status or sending notifications about new users without MFA.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A company needs to continuously monitor AWS accounts for suspicious API calls, such as unusual IAM user creation patterns or potential credential compromise, and receive alerts for security findings. GuardDuty would be the correct service to detect and notify about such threats.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse GuardDuty's monitoring and alerting capabilities with the compliance checking and notification requirements, assuming it can be used to track IAM user configurations.
✗AWS Trusted AdvisorWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
AWS Trusted Advisor provides best-practice checks, including MFA on root account, but it does not automatically verify MFA for all IAM users or trigger notifications when a new user is created without MFA. It lacks the continuous compliance monitoring and custom rule enforcement needed for this requirement.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A company wants a high-level assessment of their AWS account against best practices, including checking if MFA is enabled on the root account, and needs a summary report with recommendations. Trusted Advisor would be the correct service for this advisory check.
Why candidates choose this
Trusted Advisor includes a security check for MFA on the root account, leading candidates to assume it covers all IAM users. They overlook that it does not monitor per-user MFA status or provide event-driven notifications for new users.
Analysis generated from the official CLF-C02blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
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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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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