Quick Answer
The answer is Amazon ECR image scanning. This is the correct choice because it is a native feature of Amazon ECR that automatically scans Docker images for software vulnerabilities using the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database from the open-source Clair project, and it can be configured to trigger on push, making it the ideal service to integrate container vulnerability scanning in a CI/CD pipeline before deployment. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of how to embed security checks directly into the pipeline without introducing third-party tools or additional latency. A common trap is selecting Amazon Inspector, which is for EC2 instances and workloads, not container images in ECR. Remember the memory tip: "Push and scan, no third-party plan"—ECR scanning is built-in and activates automatically on image push.
This DOP-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 DevOps engineer is designing a CI/CD pipeline that builds a Docker image and pushes it to Amazon ECR. The pipeline must scan the image for vulnerabilities before deployment. Which service should be integrated?
AWS Security Hub
Why wrong: Aggregates findings, does not scan images.
Amazon Inspector
Why wrong: For EC2 instances, not container images.
Amazon ECR image scanning
ECR can automatically scan images on push.
AWS Config
Why wrong: For configuration compliance, not vulnerability scanning.
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 ECR image scanning
Amazon ECR image scanning is the correct service because it is a native feature of Amazon ECR that automatically scans Docker images for software vulnerabilities (CVEs) when they are pushed to the repository. This scanning uses the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database from the open-source Clair project and can be configured to trigger on push, making it the ideal choice for integrating vulnerability scanning directly into a CI/CD pipeline before deployment.
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 Security Hub
Why it's wrong here
Aggregates findings, does not scan images.
Amazon Inspector
Why it's wrong here
For EC2 instances, not container images.
Amazon ECR image scanning
Why this is correct
ECR can automatically scan images on push.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS Config
Why it's wrong here
For configuration compliance, not vulnerability scanning.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse Amazon Inspector (which scans running containers for runtime vulnerabilities) with ECR image scanning (which scans the image at rest in the registry), leading them to select Inspector instead of the correct ECR-native feature.
Detailed technical explanation
ECR image scanning works by comparing the packages in the Docker image layers against a continuously updated CVE database. When scanning is enabled on a repository, each push triggers an asynchronous scan; the results are stored as findings in ECR and can be retrieved via the DescribeImageScanFindings API. In a CI/CD pipeline, you can poll this API to block deployment until the scan completes and the severity level is acceptable, ensuring no vulnerable images are promoted to production.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
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Security and Compliance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Security and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Amazon ECR image scanning — Amazon ECR image scanning is the correct service because it is a native feature of Amazon ECR that automatically scans Docker images for software vulnerabilities (CVEs) when they are pushed to the repository. This scanning uses the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database from the open-source Clair project and can be configured to trigger on push, making it the ideal choice for integrating vulnerability scanning directly into a CI/CD pipeline before deployment.
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.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This DOP-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 DOP-C02 exam.
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