Quick Answer
The answer is Amazon GuardDuty and Amazon CloudWatch Logs. GuardDuty provides real-time threat detection by analyzing AWS CloudTrail logs, VPC Flow Logs, and DNS logs for suspicious API calls or credential compromise targeting databases, using machine learning and anomaly detection. CloudWatch Logs enables real-time monitoring by ingesting database engine logs, such as error logs or audit logs from Amazon RDS or Aurora, and allowing you to set metric filters and alarms for specific security events. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this pairing tests your understanding of detection versus logging: GuardDuty catches malicious patterns automatically, while CloudWatch Logs requires you to define what to watch for. A common trap is choosing AWS Config, which monitors configuration changes but not real-time security events. Memory tip: GuardDuty guards the door, CloudWatch watches the logs.
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of database security. 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.
Which TWO AWS services can be used to monitor database security events in real time? (Choose 2.)
AWS WAF
Why wrong: WAF protects web applications, not databases directly.
Amazon GuardDuty
GuardDuty can detect threats based on database activity.
Amazon RDS Performance Insights
Why wrong: Performance monitoring, not security events.
Amazon CloudWatch Logs
Can monitor database logs in real time.
AWS CloudTrail
Why wrong: CloudTrail logs API calls but is not real-time monitoring.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Amazon GuardDuty
Amazon GuardDuty (Option B) is a threat detection service that continuously monitors for malicious activity and unauthorized behavior, including database security events such as suspicious API calls or potential credential compromise. It uses machine learning, anomaly detection, and integrated threat intelligence to analyze AWS CloudTrail logs, VPC Flow Logs, and DNS logs in real time, making it suitable for monitoring database security events.
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 WAF
Why it's wrong here
WAF protects web applications, not databases directly.
Amazon GuardDuty
Why this is correct
GuardDuty can detect threats based on database activity.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Amazon RDS Performance Insights
Why it's wrong here
Performance monitoring, not security events.
Amazon CloudWatch Logs
Why this is correct
Can monitor database logs in real time.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS CloudTrail
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail logs API calls but is not real-time monitoring.
Common exam traps
AWS often tests the distinction between services that provide real-time security monitoring (GuardDuty, CloudWatch Logs with metric filters) versus those that offer historical auditing (CloudTrail) or performance monitoring (Performance Insights), leading candidates to mistakenly select CloudTrail for real-time needs.
Detailed technical explanation
Amazon GuardDuty uses a combination of threat intelligence feeds (e.g., from CrowdStrike, Proofpoint, and AWS Security) and machine learning models to detect anomalies such as unusual database login patterns or data exfiltration attempts. Amazon CloudWatch Logs can ingest database audit logs (e.g., from RDS for MySQL or PostgreSQL) and trigger real-time alarms via metric filters or subscription filters to Lambda functions, enabling immediate response to security events like failed login attempts or SQL injection attempts. In a real-world scenario, you might configure CloudWatch Logs to monitor RDS audit logs for patterns like 'ACCESS DENIED' and send alerts to an SNS topic for immediate investigation.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Database Security — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
Database Security practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
All DBS-C01 questions
1,730 questions across all exam domains
AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
DBS-C01 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Workload-Specific Database Design.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Deployment and Migration.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Management and Operations.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Monitoring and Troubleshooting.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Database Security.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 fundamentals.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 scenario.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Database Security — This question tests Database Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Amazon GuardDuty — Amazon GuardDuty (Option B) is a threat detection service that continuously monitors for malicious activity and unauthorized behavior, including database security events such as suspicious API calls or potential credential compromise. It uses machine learning, anomaly detection, and integrated threat intelligence to analyze AWS CloudTrail logs, VPC Flow Logs, and DNS logs in real time, making it suitable for monitoring database security events.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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 30, 2026
This DBS-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 DBS-C01 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.