- A
AWS CloudTrail, because it records every API call made in the account.
Why wrong: CloudTrail is excellent for auditing API activity, but it does not evaluate resource compliance states by itself.
- B
AWS Config, because it evaluates resource configuration against compliance rules.
AWS Config is the right service for continuous resource compliance monitoring. It tracks configuration changes over time and can evaluate rules that check for conditions such as encrypted EBS volumes or overly permissive security groups. This makes it ideal for governance and drift detection, especially when the team needs to know the current state of resources rather than only the history of API calls.
- C
Amazon GuardDuty, because it automatically encrypts noncompliant resources.
Why wrong: GuardDuty detects threats and anomalies, but it does not evaluate or remediate configuration compliance.
- D
Amazon Macie, because it manages encryption settings for all AWS resources.
Why wrong: Macie specializes in discovering and classifying sensitive data in S3, not in evaluating general resource configuration compliance.
Quick Answer
The answer is AWS Config, because it provides continuous compliance checks for AWS resources by evaluating their configurations against predefined rules. This service is designed to monitor changes in real time, making it ideal for detecting when an EBS volume becomes unencrypted or when a security group rule allows SSH from 0.0.0.0/0, as these are configuration-based violations. On the SAA-C03 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the difference between AWS Config, which tracks configuration drift, and services like Amazon Inspector or GuardDuty, which focus on vulnerabilities or threats—a common trap is confusing Config with Inspector. A helpful memory tip is to think of Config as the “configuration cop” that watches for rule-breaking settings, not for active attacks. For this reason, when the question asks about compliance rules and resource state changes, AWS Config is always the correct choice.
SAA-C03 Design Secure Architectures Practice Question
This SAA-C03 practice question tests your understanding of design secure architectures. 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 security operations team wants continuous compliance checks for AWS resources. They need to know when an EBS volume becomes unencrypted or when a security group starts allowing SSH from 0.0.0.0/0. Which AWS service should they use?
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
AWS Config, because it evaluates resource configuration against compliance rules.
AWS Config is the correct service because it continuously monitors and evaluates the configuration of AWS resources against desired compliance rules. It can detect when an EBS volume is unencrypted or when a security group rule allows SSH (port 22) from 0.0.0.0/0, and trigger notifications or remediation actions via AWS Config rules.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
AWS CloudTrail, because it records every API call made in the account.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail is excellent for auditing API activity, but it does not evaluate resource compliance states by itself.
- ✓
AWS Config, because it evaluates resource configuration against compliance rules.
Why this is correct
AWS Config is the right service for continuous resource compliance monitoring. It tracks configuration changes over time and can evaluate rules that check for conditions such as encrypted EBS volumes or overly permissive security groups. This makes it ideal for governance and drift detection, especially when the team needs to know the current state of resources rather than only the history of API calls.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon GuardDuty, because it automatically encrypts noncompliant resources.
Why it's wrong here
GuardDuty detects threats and anomalies, but it does not evaluate or remediate configuration compliance.
- ✗
Amazon Macie, because it manages encryption settings for all AWS resources.
Why it's wrong here
Macie specializes in discovering and classifying sensitive data in S3, not in evaluating general resource configuration compliance.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse AWS CloudTrail's API logging with AWS Config's configuration evaluation, assuming that recording API calls is sufficient for compliance checks, but CloudTrail does not assess the current state of resources against rules.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Config uses a configuration recorder to capture resource configuration changes and evaluates them against managed or custom rules written in AWS Lambda. For example, the 'ec2-volume-inuse-check' rule can flag unencrypted volumes, and the 'restricted-ssh' rule checks for security group rules allowing SSH from 0.0.0.0/0. Under the hood, AWS Config maintains a configuration history and timeline, enabling compliance reporting and automated remediation via AWS Systems Manager Automation or Lambda functions.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Design Secure Architectures — This question tests Design Secure Architectures — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS Config, because it evaluates resource configuration against compliance rules. — AWS Config is the correct service because it continuously monitors and evaluates the configuration of AWS resources against desired compliance rules. It can detect when an EBS volume is unencrypted or when a security group rule allows SSH (port 22) from 0.0.0.0/0, and trigger notifications or remediation actions via AWS Config rules.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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