- A
Send CloudTrail logs to CloudWatch Logs, create a metric filter, and set up a CloudWatch Alarm to publish to an SNS topic.
This is the standard low-latency alerting pattern for CloudTrail events.
- B
Enable S3 event notifications on the CloudTrail S3 bucket to trigger a Lambda function.
Why wrong: S3 event notifications have higher latency and are not ideal for real-time alerting.
- C
Use Amazon EventBridge to match the CloudTrail event and invoke an AWS Lambda function that sends an email.
Why wrong: EventBridge is a valid option but not the typical minimal latency pattern described in best practices.
- D
Configure a Lambda function to poll the CloudTrail API every minute and check for new access keys.
Why wrong: Polling introduces delay and is inefficient compared to event-driven approaches.
Quick Answer
The answer is to send CloudTrail logs to CloudWatch Logs, create a metric filter, and set up a CloudWatch Alarm to publish to an SNS topic. This combination works because CloudTrail records the `CreateAccessKey` API call as an event, which is streamed to CloudWatch Logs where a metric filter can count occurrences of that specific event name, triggering an alarm with minimal latency. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this pattern tests your understanding of real-time operational monitoring versus batch or event-driven alternatives; a common trap is choosing Amazon EventBridge (formerly CloudWatch Events) for direct event matching, but the question emphasizes minimal latency and the classic metric filter approach is the most straightforward and low-latency pattern for alerting on IAM access key creation. Remember the memory tip: "Filter, Alarm, Notify" — the metric filter watches the log stream, the alarm triggers on the threshold, and SNS delivers the alert.
DOP-C02 Incident and Event Response Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of incident and event response. 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 uses AWS CloudTrail to record API calls across multiple accounts and regions. The security team needs to be alerted immediately when an IAM user creates a new access key. Which combination of services should be used to achieve this with minimal latency?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"immediately / without restart"Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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
Send CloudTrail logs to CloudWatch Logs, create a metric filter, and set up a CloudWatch Alarm to publish to an SNS topic.
Option B is correct because CloudTrail delivers events to CloudWatch Logs, and a metric filter on 'CreateAccessKey' can trigger a CloudWatch Alarm to send an SNS notification. Option A is wrong because CloudWatch Events (now Amazon EventBridge) can directly match CloudTrail events, but the question asks for minimal latency and a common pattern. Option C is wrong because S3 event notifications are not designed for real-time alerting on API calls. Option D is wrong because Lambda polling CloudTrail is inefficient and introduces latency.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Send CloudTrail logs to CloudWatch Logs, create a metric filter, and set up a CloudWatch Alarm to publish to an SNS topic.
Why this is correct
This is the standard low-latency alerting pattern for CloudTrail events.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✗
Enable S3 event notifications on the CloudTrail S3 bucket to trigger a Lambda function.
Why it's wrong here
S3 event notifications have higher latency and are not ideal for real-time alerting.
- ✗
Use Amazon EventBridge to match the CloudTrail event and invoke an AWS Lambda function that sends an email.
Why it's wrong here
EventBridge is a valid option but not the typical minimal latency pattern described in best practices.
- ✗
Configure a Lambda function to poll the CloudTrail API every minute and check for new access keys.
Why it's wrong here
Polling introduces delay and is inefficient compared to event-driven approaches.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DOP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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Incident and Event Response — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DOP-C02 question test?
Incident and Event Response — This question tests Incident and Event Response — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Send CloudTrail logs to CloudWatch Logs, create a metric filter, and set up a CloudWatch Alarm to publish to an SNS topic. — Option B is correct because CloudTrail delivers events to CloudWatch Logs, and a metric filter on 'CreateAccessKey' can trigger a CloudWatch Alarm to send an SNS notification. Option A is wrong because CloudWatch Events (now Amazon EventBridge) can directly match CloudTrail events, but the question asks for minimal latency and a common pattern. Option C is wrong because S3 event notifications are not designed for real-time alerting on API calls. Option D is wrong because Lambda polling CloudTrail is inefficient and introduces latency.
What should I do if I get this DOP-C02 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DOP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "immediately / without restart". Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on DOP-C02
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company uses AWS Organizations with multiple accounts. The security team needs to receive real-time notifications when any IAM user in any account creates an access key. Which solution is the most operationally efficient?
hard- A.Enable CloudTrail in all accounts and send logs to a central S3 bucket, then use Amazon Athena to query.
- B.Create an SCP that denies access key creation and monitor with CloudWatch.
- C.Use AWS Trusted Advisor to check for exposed access keys.
- ✓ D.Use AWS Config rules with a CloudWatch Events rule to detect CreateAccessKey and publish to an SNS topic.
Why D: Option A is correct because an AWS Config rule with a CloudWatch Events trigger can detect CreateAccessKey API calls and send notifications via SNS. Option B is wrong because CloudTrail is already logging events, but CloudWatch Events can directly capture API calls. Option C is wrong because SCPs cannot trigger notifications. Option D is wrong because Trusted Advisor does not monitor IAM access key creation in real-time.
Variation 2. A company uses AWS CloudTrail to log API activity. The security team wants to be alerted when an IAM user creates a new access key. Which TWO steps should be taken to accomplish this? (Choose TWO.)
medium- A.Enable CloudTrail Insights to detect unusual activity in the account.
- ✓ B.Configure the CloudWatch Events rule to send a notification to an Amazon SNS topic.
- ✓ C.Create an Amazon CloudWatch Events rule that matches the CreateAccessKey API call via CloudTrail.
- D.Create an AWS Config rule that checks for access key creation and sends an SNS notification.
- E.Use CloudWatch Logs Insights to run a query on the CloudTrail logs and set an alarm.
Why B: Option B is correct because Amazon CloudWatch Events (now Events) can be configured to match specific API calls logged by CloudTrail, such as CreateAccessKey. When the rule triggers, it can invoke an SNS topic to send an alert, enabling real-time notification. This approach directly monitors the API activity without additional overhead.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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