SCS-C02 AWS CloudTrail Practice Question
A company needs to ensure that all API calls made to AWS are logged and that the logs are immutable. Which TWO steps should be taken? (Choose TWO.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse log file validation (integrity checks) with immutability (prevention of deletion/modification), or assume that versioning alone provides sufficient protection against log tampering, when in fact only Object Lock in Compliance mode enforces true WORM immutability.
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
✓
Enable AWS CloudTrail in all regions.
Enabling AWS CloudTrail in all regions ensures that all management events across every region are logged, which is essential for comprehensive security monitoring and compliance. However, note that data events (e.g., S3 object-level operations) require explicit configuration in the trail. Option C is correct because storing CloudTrail logs in an S3 bucket with Object Lock enabled in Compliance mode prevents any user, including the root user, from deleting or overwriting log files, ensuring immutability. Together, these steps satisfy the requirement that all API calls are logged and the logs are immutable.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Enable CloudTrail log file validation.
Why it's wrong here
Log file validation ensures integrity, not immutability against deletion.
- ✓
Enable AWS CloudTrail in all regions.
Why this is correct
CloudTrail logs all API calls across regions.
- ✓
Store CloudTrail logs in an S3 bucket with Object Lock enabled in Compliance mode.
Why this is correct
Compliance mode prevents any user from deleting objects.
- ✗
Send CloudTrail logs to CloudWatch Logs with a retention policy.
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Logs retention policy only controls how long logs are kept; they can be deleted.
- ✗
Enable S3 versioning on the destination bucket.
Why it's wrong here
Versioning allows overwrites and does not prevent deletion of objects.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
Go deeper
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.