The correct answer is to ensure the manual approval action is configured as a CodePipeline approval action, as CloudTrail will automatically log the 'Approval' event with the IAM user ARN of the approver. This works because CodePipeline natively integrates with CloudTrail to record all pipeline state changes, including manual approvals, as a `PutApprovalResult` API call that captures the exact IAM identity performing the action. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this tests your understanding of native audit trails versus custom logging—a common trap is assuming you need additional services like CloudWatch Logs or Lambda to capture approver identity, when CloudTrail already provides the required audit trail for CodePipeline manual approval actions. Remember the key insight: CloudTrail logs every CodePipeline state transition, so approval actions are automatically auditable without extra configuration. Memory tip: "Approval ARN is in the CloudTrail barn"—the approver’s IAM ARN is always captured in the CloudTrail event for any manual approval step.
DOP-C02 SDLC Automation Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of sdlc automation. 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 a CI/CD pipeline that deploys to Amazon ECS using AWS CodePipeline. The pipeline includes a manual approval step before deployment to production. The security team requires that all approvals be logged in AWS CloudTrail and that the approver's identity be verified. Which action should the DevOps engineer take to meet these requirements?
Ensure that the manual approval action is configured as a CodePipeline approval action; CloudTrail will log the 'Approval' event with the IAM user ARN.
CodePipeline approval actions are logged in CloudTrail as PutApprovalResult events.
B
Create a custom CloudTrail trail specifically for CodePipeline API calls.
Why wrong: CloudTrail automatically logs CodePipeline API calls.
C
Enable CloudTrail Insights to detect unusual approval activity.
Why wrong: CloudTrail Insights is for anomaly detection, not logging approvals.
D
Configure the approval action to send a notification to an Amazon SNS topic, and log the SNS delivery to CloudWatch Logs.
Why wrong: SNS delivery logs are not the same as approval actions.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Ensure that the manual approval action is configured as a CodePipeline approval action; CloudTrail will log the 'Approval' event with the IAM user ARN.
Option C is correct because CodePipeline manual approval actions are already logged in CloudTrail with the approver's IAM user ARN. Option A is wrong because CloudWatch Logs do not capture approval actions. Option B is wrong because CloudTrail is sufficient. Option D is wrong because enabling CloudTrail is not needed if already enabled.
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.
✓
Ensure that the manual approval action is configured as a CodePipeline approval action; CloudTrail will log the 'Approval' event with the IAM user ARN.
Why this is correct
CodePipeline approval actions are logged in CloudTrail as PutApprovalResult events.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create a custom CloudTrail trail specifically for CodePipeline API calls.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail automatically logs CodePipeline API calls.
✗
Enable CloudTrail Insights to detect unusual approval activity.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail Insights is for anomaly detection, not logging approvals.
✗
Configure the approval action to send a notification to an Amazon SNS topic, and log the SNS delivery to CloudWatch Logs.
Why it's wrong here
SNS delivery logs are not the same as approval actions.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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
How to think about this question
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.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 DOP-C02 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.
SDLC Automation — This question tests SDLC Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Ensure that the manual approval action is configured as a CodePipeline approval action; CloudTrail will log the 'Approval' event with the IAM user ARN. — Option C is correct because CodePipeline manual approval actions are already logged in CloudTrail with the approver's IAM user ARN. Option A is wrong because CloudWatch Logs do not capture approval actions. Option B is wrong because CloudTrail is sufficient. Option D is wrong because enabling CloudTrail is not needed if already enabled.
What should I do if I get this DOP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which DOP-C02 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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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