Quick Answer
The correct combination is AWS CloudTrail and Amazon CloudWatch Events (now Amazon EventBridge). CloudTrail provides the foundational API call monitoring and notification capability by recording every API call made to AWS services, including the identity, source IP, and request details, while CloudWatch Events evaluates these logs in real time and can trigger an immediate notification—such as via SNS or Lambda—when a specific API call, like creating a security group rule, is detected. On the ANS-C01 exam, this pairing tests your understanding of the difference between logging services: CloudTrail is the only service that captures management-plane API calls, whereas AWS Config tracks resource configuration changes, VPC Flow Logs monitor network traffic, and AWS Shield handles DDoS protection. A common trap is confusing CloudTrail with Config, but remember that CloudTrail answers “who did what and when,” while Config answers “what is the current state.” Memory tip: think of CloudTrail as the “call log” and CloudWatch Events as the “alert bell” for those calls.
This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network security, compliance and governance. 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 company needs to ensure that all API calls to AWS services are logged and monitored for suspicious activity. Additionally, any API call that creates a security group rule should trigger an immediate notification. Which combination of services should be used?
VPC Flow Logs and Amazon CloudWatch
Why wrong: Flow logs capture network traffic, not API calls.
AWS CloudTrail and Amazon CloudWatch Events
CloudTrail logs API calls; CloudWatch Events can trigger alerts.
AWS Config and Amazon SNS
Why wrong: Config tracks configuration changes, not API calls.
AWS Shield and AWS WAF
Why wrong: Shield and WAF are for protection, not logging.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS CloudTrail and Amazon CloudWatch Events
Option C is correct because CloudTrail logs API calls, and CloudWatch Events (now Amazon EventBridge) can trigger notifications. Option A is wrong because AWS Config is for resource configuration, not API call monitoring. Option B is wrong because VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic, not API calls. Option D is wrong because AWS Shield is for DDoS protection.
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
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
VPC Flow Logs and Amazon CloudWatch
Why it's wrong here
Flow logs capture network traffic, not API calls.
AWS CloudTrail and Amazon CloudWatch Events
Why this is correct
CloudTrail logs API calls; CloudWatch Events can trigger alerts.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
AWS Config and Amazon SNS
Why it's wrong here
Config tracks configuration changes, not API calls.
AWS Shield and AWS WAF
Why it's wrong here
Shield and WAF are for protection, not logging.
Common exam traps
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
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.
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
A healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
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 ANS-C01 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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FAQ
Network Security, Compliance and Governance — This question tests Network Security, Compliance and Governance — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
The correct answer is: AWS CloudTrail and Amazon CloudWatch Events — Option C is correct because CloudTrail logs API calls, and CloudWatch Events (now Amazon EventBridge) can trigger notifications. Option A is wrong because AWS Config is for resource configuration, not API call monitoring. Option B is wrong because VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic, not API calls. Option D is wrong because AWS Shield is for DDoS protection.
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 ANS-C01 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This ANS-C01 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 ANS-C01 exam.
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