Quick Answer
The answer is AWS CloudTrail. CloudTrail is the correct service because it records all API calls made to AWS services, including S3 object-level operations like GetObject and PutObject, and it captures detailed identity information such as the specific IAM user or role that made the request, along with the source IP and account. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between logging services—many candidates mistakenly choose S3 server access logs, but those are raw log files requiring manual parsing, whereas CloudTrail provides a queryable, searchable record through the console or Athena. A common trap is confusing CloudTrail with AWS Config, which tracks resource configuration changes, not access events. Remember the memory tip: CloudTrail trails the cloud’s API calls, so if you need to identify who did what, think “trail” for the trail of identity.
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data security and governance. 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 uses Amazon S3 to store log files. The security team notices that some objects are being accessed from an unexpected AWS account. The data engineer needs to identify which specific IAM user or role is accessing the objects. Which AWS service should be used to get this information?
AWS Trusted Advisor
Why wrong: Trusted Advisor provides recommendations, not detailed access logs.
Amazon S3 server access logs
Why wrong: These are logs stored in S3, but not a service for querying; would require additional processing.
AWS CloudTrail
CloudTrail logs API calls and can be used to trace S3 access to specific IAM users or roles.
AWS Config
Why wrong: Config tracks resource configuration changes, not API calls.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS CloudTrail
AWS CloudTrail records API calls including S3 object-level operations. It logs who made the call, from which account, and other details. S3 server access logs provide similar info but are log files themselves, not a queryable service. Config is for resource configuration tracking. Trusted Advisor gives best practice checks.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
AWS Trusted Advisor
Why it's wrong here
Trusted Advisor provides recommendations, not detailed access logs.
Amazon S3 server access logs
Why it's wrong here
These are logs stored in S3, but not a service for querying; would require additional processing.
AWS CloudTrail
Why this is correct
CloudTrail logs API calls and can be used to trace S3 access to specific IAM users or roles.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS Config
Why it's wrong here
Config tracks resource configuration changes, not API calls.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Data Security and Governance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Data Security and Governance — This question tests Data Security and Governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: AWS CloudTrail — AWS CloudTrail records API calls including S3 object-level operations. It logs who made the call, from which account, and other details. S3 server access logs provide similar info but are log files themselves, not a queryable service. Config is for resource configuration tracking. Trusted Advisor gives best practice checks.
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This DEA-C01 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 DEA-C01 exam.
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