- A
Create an Amazon CloudWatch Events rule to detect root user login events and send an alert via Amazon SNS.
Alerts on root user activity.
- B
Use AWS Config rules to detect root user usage.
Why wrong: AWS Config does not track user actions.
- C
Create an IAM role for root user with limited permissions.
Why wrong: Root user cannot use IAM roles.
- D
Enable AWS CloudTrail to log root user API calls in all accounts.
CloudTrail records root user actions.
- E
Attach a service control policy (SCP) to all accounts to deny root user actions.
Why wrong: SCPs cannot restrict root user in member accounts.
Question 497 of 1,746
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions for organizational complexity. 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.
A company uses AWS Organizations to manage multiple accounts. The security team wants to ensure that all root user activities are monitored and alerted. Which TWO actions should the team take? (Choose TWO.)
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
✓
Create an Amazon CloudWatch Events rule to detect root user login events and send an alert via Amazon SNS.
Option A is correct because Amazon CloudTrail logs root user login events as 'RootLogin' events, which can be captured by an Amazon CloudWatch Events rule (now Amazon EventBridge). This rule can trigger an Amazon SNS notification to alert the security team in real time, ensuring immediate awareness of root activity. Option D is correct because AWS CloudTrail must be enabled in all accounts to record root user API calls; without CloudTrail, there is no audit trail for root actions, making monitoring impossible.
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.
- ✓
Create an Amazon CloudWatch Events rule to detect root user login events and send an alert via Amazon SNS.
Why this is correct
Alerts on root user activity.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use AWS Config rules to detect root user usage.
Why it's wrong here
AWS Config does not track user actions.
- ✗
Create an IAM role for root user with limited permissions.
Why it's wrong here
Root user cannot use IAM roles.
- ✓
Enable AWS CloudTrail to log root user API calls in all accounts.
Why this is correct
CloudTrail records root user actions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Attach a service control policy (SCP) to all accounts to deny root user actions.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs cannot restrict root user in member accounts.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think SCPs can restrict root user actions, but AWS explicitly exempts the root user from SCPs, making option E ineffective for monitoring or prevention.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudTrail records root user sign-in events as 'ConsoleLogin' events with a userIdentity type of 'Root' in the CloudTrail log. Amazon EventBridge (formerly CloudWatch Events) can filter for these events using a pattern like `{"detail":{"userIdentity":{"type":["Root"]}}}` and route them to SNS, Lambda, or other targets. Under the hood, CloudTrail must be enabled in each account (or via an organization trail) to capture these events; without it, root activity is invisible to monitoring tools.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — This question tests Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an Amazon CloudWatch Events rule to detect root user login events and send an alert via Amazon SNS. — Option A is correct because Amazon CloudTrail logs root user login events as 'RootLogin' events, which can be captured by an Amazon CloudWatch Events rule (now Amazon EventBridge). This rule can trigger an Amazon SNS notification to alert the security team in real time, ensuring immediate awareness of root activity. Option D is correct because AWS CloudTrail must be enabled in all accounts to record root user API calls; without CloudTrail, there is no audit trail for root actions, making monitoring impossible.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 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: Jul 4, 2026
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