- A
AWS CloudTrail
Why wrong: CloudTrail records API calls (who did what action). It can show that a security group was modified but does not continuously track the actual configuration state of resources or evaluate ongoing compliance.
- B
Amazon CloudWatch
Why wrong: CloudWatch monitors performance metrics and logs. It does not track resource configuration history or evaluate compliance against configuration rules.
- C
AWS Config
Config continuously records the configuration of AWS resources and their relationships. It maintains a configuration history, evaluates configurations against compliance rules, and identifies non-compliant resources (like unencrypted EBS volumes).
- D
Amazon GuardDuty
Why wrong: GuardDuty detects security threats using log analysis. It does not track resource configuration changes or evaluate compliance against configuration rules.
Quick Answer
The answer is AWS Config. This service is correct because it continuously records and tracks AWS resource configuration history, capturing every change as a configuration item, including when a security group was last modified, and it allows you to define rules—such as requiring encryption on all EBS volumes attached to EC2 instances—to evaluate resources for compliance. On the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of which service handles auditing and compliance tracking, often appearing as a scenario where you must distinguish AWS Config from services like CloudTrail (which logs API calls) or Systems Manager (which manages operational data). A common trap is confusing Config with CloudTrail, but remember: CloudTrail tells you who did what and when, while Config tells you what the resource looks like and how it has changed over time. A helpful memory tip is to think of Config as the “configuration historian” that keeps a timeline of every resource’s state.
CLF-C02 Security and Compliance Practice Question
This CLF-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. 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 compliance team needs to track the configuration history of AWS resources, determine when a security group was last modified, and verify that all EC2 instances comply with a rule requiring encryption on all attached EBS volumes. Which AWS service provides these capabilities?
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 the correct service because it provides configuration history of AWS resources, tracks changes to security groups (including last modification time), and allows you to define rules—such as requiring encryption on all EBS volumes attached to EC2 instances—and evaluate resources against those rules. It records configuration changes as configuration items and can trigger evaluations against managed or custom rules, making it ideal for compliance auditing.
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 CloudTrail
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail records API calls (who did what action). It can show that a security group was modified but does not continuously track the actual configuration state of resources or evaluate ongoing compliance.
- ✗
Amazon CloudWatch
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch monitors performance metrics and logs. It does not track resource configuration history or evaluate compliance against configuration rules.
- ✓
AWS Config
Why this is correct
Config continuously records the configuration of AWS resources and their relationships. It maintains a configuration history, evaluates configurations against compliance rules, and identifies non-compliant resources (like unencrypted EBS volumes).
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon GuardDuty
Why it's wrong here
GuardDuty detects security threats using log analysis. It does not track resource configuration changes or evaluate compliance against configuration rules.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse AWS CloudTrail's API logging with AWS Config's configuration tracking, but CloudTrail only records the API call that made the change, not the resulting configuration state or compliance evaluation.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
CloudTrail records API calls (who did what action). It can show that a security group was modified but does not continuously track the actual configuration state of resources or evaluate ongoing compliance.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Config uses a configuration recorder to capture configuration items (CIs) for supported resources, storing them in a configuration history file in an S3 bucket. The 'last modification' time for a security group is derived from the configuration timeline, and Config rules (e.g., 'ec2-volume-inuse-check' or a custom AWS Lambda rule) evaluate resources against desired policies. A real-world scenario: if a security group is modified to open SSH to 0.0.0.0/0, Config can trigger an automatic remediation via AWS Systems Manager Automation to revert the change.
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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
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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CLF-C02 practice test guide
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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 the correct service because it provides configuration history of AWS resources, tracks changes to security groups (including last modification time), and allows you to define rules—such as requiring encryption on all EBS volumes attached to EC2 instances—and evaluate resources against those rules. It records configuration changes as configuration items and can trigger evaluations against managed or custom rules, making it ideal for compliance auditing.
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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