Quick Answer
The correct answer is to designate one account as the GuardDuty master account, then invite member accounts to join. This master-member relationship is the core mechanism for centralizing GuardDuty findings across multiple accounts, as the master account automatically aggregates all findings from its linked members into a single console and event stream. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this concept tests your understanding of GuardDuty’s delegated administrator model, which is distinct from simply enabling the service in each account independently. A common trap is assuming you can manually copy findings or use cross-account IAM roles alone—without the formal invitation and acceptance workflow, the master account cannot receive the findings. Remember the memory tip: "Invite, Accept, Centralize"—the master must invite, each member must accept, and then all findings flow to one place.
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security logging and monitoring. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 has enabled Amazon GuardDuty in multiple AWS accounts. The security team wants to centralize GuardDuty findings into a single account for analysis. Which THREE steps are required to achieve this? (Choose THREE.)
Configure CloudWatch Logs cross-account subscription to aggregate findings.
Why wrong: Not needed.
Create an EventBridge rule to forward findings to the master account.
Why wrong: Not needed.
Invite member accounts to join the GuardDuty master account.
Invitation process.
Accept the invitation in each member account.
Required to join.
Designate one account as the GuardDuty master account.
Central account.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Invite member accounts to join the GuardDuty master account.
Option C is correct because in Amazon GuardDuty, to centralize findings from multiple accounts, you must designate a master account and then invite member accounts to join. The invitation process establishes a trusted relationship where the master account can aggregate and analyze findings from all member accounts. Without this step, the master account cannot receive findings from other accounts.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Configure CloudWatch Logs cross-account subscription to aggregate findings.
Why it's wrong here
Not needed.
Create an EventBridge rule to forward findings to the master account.
Why it's wrong here
Not needed.
Invite member accounts to join the GuardDuty master account.
Why this is correct
Invitation process.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Accept the invitation in each member account.
Why this is correct
Required to join.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Designate one account as the GuardDuty master account.
Why this is correct
Central account.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the GuardDuty multi-account setup with other cross-account aggregation methods (like CloudWatch Logs subscription filters or EventBridge cross-account rules), but GuardDuty has its own built-in master-member mechanism that does not require those services.
Detailed technical explanation
GuardDuty uses a master-member model where the master account can view and manage findings from all member accounts through the GuardDuty console and API. The invitation process involves the master account sending an invitation via the GuardDuty API (using the CreateMembers and InviteMembers API calls), and each member account must accept the invitation (using AcceptInvitation). Once accepted, findings from member accounts are automatically forwarded to the master account without needing additional infrastructure like EventBridge or CloudWatch Logs.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
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
Security Logging and Monitoring — This question tests Security Logging and Monitoring — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Invite member accounts to join the GuardDuty master account. — Option C is correct because in Amazon GuardDuty, to centralize findings from multiple accounts, you must designate a master account and then invite member accounts to join. The invitation process establishes a trusted relationship where the master account can aggregate and analyze findings from all member accounts. Without this step, the master account cannot receive findings from other accounts.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This SCS-C02 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 SCS-C02 exam.
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