- A
Amazon CloudWatch Logs with metric filters
Why wrong: CloudWatch Logs collects application and service logs — it doesn't record API calls or provide cryptographic log integrity validation.
- B
AWS CloudTrail with Log File Integrity Validation enabled
CloudTrail records all API calls and Log File Integrity Validation creates cryptographically signed digest files — auditors can verify that no log files were altered, deleted, or forged.
- C
AWS Config with conformance packs
Why wrong: Config evaluates resource configurations against compliance rules — it doesn't record API calls or provide log integrity validation.
- D
VPC Flow Logs stored in S3
Why wrong: VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic — they don't record management API calls or provide log file integrity validation.
Quick Answer
The answer is AWS CloudTrail with Log File Integrity Validation enabled. This is correct because CloudTrail automatically records all AWS API calls across your account, and the Log File Integrity Validation feature uses SHA-256 hashing combined with digital signatures to create a tamper-proof digest file, allowing you to cryptographically verify that no log files were altered, deleted, or modified after delivery. On the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of compliance-oriented security controls; a common trap is confusing CloudTrail with CloudWatch Logs or forgetting that the integrity validation is an optional but critical feature. Remember that CloudTrail logs the calls, but only enabling integrity validation guarantees they haven’t been tampered with. A helpful memory tip: think of “Trail” for tracking calls and “Integrity” for the digital signature seal—like a wax seal on a letter that proves it wasn’t opened.
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's compliance framework requires that all AWS API calls must be logged and that log integrity must be validated. Which AWS service with which feature satisfies this requirement?
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 CloudTrail with Log File Integrity Validation enabled
AWS CloudTrail Log File Integrity Validation uses industry-standard algorithms (SHA-256 hashing and digital signatures with SHA-256 with RSA) to ensure that CloudTrail log files have not been tampered with after delivery. This feature enables you to validate that log files were not modified, deleted, or changed without authorization, directly meeting the compliance requirement for logging all AWS API calls and validating log integrity.
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.
- ✗
Amazon CloudWatch Logs with metric filters
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Logs collects application and service logs — it doesn't record API calls or provide cryptographic log integrity validation.
- ✓
AWS CloudTrail with Log File Integrity Validation enabled
Why this is correct
CloudTrail records all API calls and Log File Integrity Validation creates cryptographically signed digest files — auditors can verify that no log files were altered, deleted, or forged.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
AWS Config with conformance packs
Why it's wrong here
Config evaluates resource configurations against compliance rules — it doesn't record API calls or provide log integrity validation.
- ✗
VPC Flow Logs stored in S3
Why it's wrong here
VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic — they don't record management API calls or provide log file integrity validation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse logging (CloudTrail) with monitoring (CloudWatch) or configuration tracking (AWS Config), and overlook the specific integrity validation feature that is unique to CloudTrail.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudTrail Log File Integrity Validation creates a digest file for each delivery period that contains hashes of all log files delivered in that period. These digest files are themselves signed using a private key from AWS, and you can use the public key (available via AWS) to verify the signature and recompute the hashes, ensuring end-to-end integrity. In a real-world scenario, if an attacker gains access to the S3 bucket containing CloudTrail logs, they could delete or modify log files, but without the private key they cannot forge the digest signatures, making tampering detectable.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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
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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 CloudTrail with Log File Integrity Validation enabled — AWS CloudTrail Log File Integrity Validation uses industry-standard algorithms (SHA-256 hashing and digital signatures with SHA-256 with RSA) to ensure that CloudTrail log files have not been tampered with after delivery. This feature enables you to validate that log files were not modified, deleted, or changed without authorization, directly meeting the compliance requirement for logging all AWS API calls and validating log integrity.
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.
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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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