The answer is to stop the instance, detach the IAM role, and isolate it by modifying the security group. These three actions immediately contain a compromised EC2 instance by halting its processes, revoking its permissions to access S3 and DynamoDB, and cutting off network traffic, respectively. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your incident response prioritization under the domain of security and compliance, where the key trap is confusing containment with forensics—taking a snapshot (which can preserve malware) or terminating the instance (which destroys volatile evidence) are incorrect first steps. Remember the mnemonic "S.D.I." for Stop, Detach IAM role, Isolate with security groups to lock down the instance without losing forensic data.
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.
During a security incident, a DevOps engineer discovers that an EC2 instance has been compromised. The instance has an IAM role with permissions to access S3 and DynamoDB. Which THREE immediate actions should the engineer take to contain the incident?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Stop the EC2 instance
Option A is correct to stop the instance. Option D is correct to detach the IAM role to prevent further actions. Option E is correct to isolate the instance by modifying the security group. Option B is wrong because snapshotting may capture malware. Option C is wrong because terminating destroys evidence.
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.
✗
Terminate the instance immediately
Why it's wrong here
Terminating destroys forensic evidence.
✗
Create an AMI of the instance for forensic analysis
Why it's wrong here
Creating an AMI may snapshot the compromise; better to take a snapshot of the root volume instead.
✓
Stop the EC2 instance
Why this is correct
Stopping the instance halts any malicious processes.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✓
Update the security group to deny all inbound and outbound traffic
Why this is correct
Isolating the instance prevents further network activity.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✓
Remove the IAM role from the instance
Why this is correct
Detaching the role revokes permissions to other resources.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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.
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: Stop the EC2 instance — Option A is correct to stop the instance. Option D is correct to detach the IAM role to prevent further actions. Option E is correct to isolate the instance by modifying the security group. Option B is wrong because snapshotting may capture malware. Option C is wrong because terminating destroys evidence.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Question Discussion
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