Question 1,104 of 1,621
Audit Outbound VPC Traffic Using VPC Traffic Mirroring
A company has a requirement to audit all network traffic leaving a VPC. The traffic includes traffic to the internet, to on-premises via VPN, and to other VPCs via Transit Gateway. Which AWS service can capture and log all outbound traffic for compliance analysis?
Quick Answer
VPC Traffic Mirroring is the correct choice because it captures and copies actual packet contents for outbound network traffic, enabling full packet-level auditing for compliance analysis. Unlike VPC Flow Logs, which only log metadata such as source and destination IPs, ports, and protocols, Traffic Mirroring provides the complete payload, allowing deep inspection of traffic leaving the VPC to the internet, on-premises via VPN, or to other VPCs through Transit Gateway. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between services that log metadata versus those that capture full packets—a common trap is selecting Flow Logs for compliance needs, but remember that compliance audits often require packet payloads, not just metadata. A helpful memory tip: think of Traffic Mirroring as a “packet photocopier” that duplicates the entire packet for analysis, while Flow Logs only give you the envelope’s address labels.
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
✓
VPC Traffic Mirroring
(VPC Traffic Mirroring) is correct because it captures and copies all outbound network traffic, including full packets, for compliance analysis. Option B (VPC Flow Logs) is incorrect because it only logs metadata (e.g., IP addresses, ports, protocols) but not the full packet content. Option C (AWS CloudTrail) is incorrect because it logs API calls and management events, not network traffic. Option D (Amazon GuardDuty) is incorrect because it is a threat detection service that analyzes traffic for anomalies, but it does not log all traffic for auditing purposes.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
VPC Traffic Mirroring
Why this is correct
Traffic Mirroring copies network traffic for analysis and compliance.
- ✗
VPC Flow Logs
Why it's wrong here
Flow Logs provide metadata (src/dst IP, ports) but not full packet contents.
- ✗
AWS CloudTrail
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail logs API activity, not network traffic.
- ✗
Amazon GuardDuty
Why it's wrong here
GuardDuty generates security findings, not a complete audit log of all traffic.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
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Same concept, more angles
3 more ways this is tested on ANS-C01
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 needs to audit network traffic in a VPC for compliance. Which THREE AWS services can be used to capture and analyze network traffic?
easy- A.AWS Config
- ✓ B.Traffic Mirroring
- ✓ C.VPC Flow Logs
- ✓ D.AWS Network Firewall
- E.AWS CloudTrail
Why B: Traffic Mirroring captures and inspects traffic. Option C is correct because VPC Flow Logs capture IP traffic information. Option D is correct because AWS Network Firewall can log traffic. Option A is wrong because AWS Config monitors resource configurations, not traffic. Option E is wrong because CloudTrail logs API calls, not network traffic.
Variation 2. A company wants to audit all network traffic to and from EC2 instances for security analysis. Which AWS service should they enable?
easy- ✓ A.VPC Flow Logs
- B.Amazon GuardDuty
- C.AWS CloudTrail
- D.AWS Config
Why A: VPC Flow Logs capture information about IP traffic going to and from network interfaces in a VPC, making them the correct choice for auditing network traffic. Option A is correct. AWS CloudTrail records API calls, not network traffic. AWS Config records resource configuration changes. Amazon GuardDuty analyzes logs and flows for threats, but it does not capture the raw traffic itself.
Variation 3. A security team needs to audit all network traffic entering and leaving a VPC. Which AWS service should be used to capture IP traffic information?
easy- ✓ A.VPC Flow Logs
- B.AWS Config
- C.Amazon CloudWatch Logs
- D.AWS CloudTrail
Why A: VPC Flow Logs capture IP traffic information for network interfaces in a VPC, allowing auditing of all network traffic. Option B is wrong because AWS Config records resource configuration changes, not network traffic. Option C is wrong because Amazon CloudWatch Logs can store and monitor logs but does not capture network traffic. Option D is wrong because AWS CloudTrail records API calls, not network traffic.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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