The answer is AWS CloudTrail and Amazon CloudWatch Logs with metric filters and alarms. This combination works because CloudTrail captures every API call, including CreateUser, CreateRole, and AttachRolePolicy, while CloudWatch Logs allows you to define metric filters that scan those logs for specific patterns—such as the creation of an IAM user or role with an attached AdministratorAccess policy—and then trigger a CloudWatch Alarm for real-time notification. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the difference between monitoring API activity (CloudTrail) and evaluating current resource configurations (AWS Config). A common trap is choosing AWS Config because it can detect policy changes, but it cannot provide real-time alerts on API calls or analyze historical account activity. Remember: CloudTrail trails the trail of API calls, CloudWatch filters the noise, and alarms sound the alert.
SCS-C02 Management and Security Governance Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of management and security 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's security team needs to implement a solution to detect and alert on the creation of IAM users or roles with administrative privileges. The solution must be able to analyze historical account activity and provide real-time alerts. Which combination of AWS services should be used?
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 Logs with metric filters and alarms
AWS CloudTrail logs IAM CreateUser, CreateRole, and AttachRolePolicy events. Amazon CloudWatch Logs can filter these events and trigger alerts via CloudWatch Alarms. Option A is wrong because AWS Config evaluates current configuration but does not provide real-time alerts on API calls. Option B is wrong because AWS Trusted Advisor is for best-practice checks, not real-time monitoring. Option D is wrong because Amazon GuardDuty focuses on threat detection, not specific IAM policy changes.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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 and Amazon CloudWatch Logs with metric filters and alarms
Why this is correct
CloudTrail logs API calls, CloudWatch Logs filters events, and alarms trigger notifications.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✗
Amazon GuardDuty and AWS Lambda
Why it's wrong here
GuardDuty detects threats like compromised credentials but does not monitor IAM policy changes directly.
✗
AWS Trusted Advisor and Amazon SES
Why it's wrong here
Trusted Advisor checks for security best practices but does not provide real-time alerting on IAM changes.
✗
AWS Config with managed rules and Amazon SNS
Why it's wrong here
AWS Config evaluates configuration changes but not real-time API calls; it can detect non-compliant resources after creation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Authentication checks who the user is.
Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
→Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
→Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
→Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related SCS-C02 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Management and Security Governance — This question tests Management and Security Governance — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS CloudTrail and Amazon CloudWatch Logs with metric filters and alarms — AWS CloudTrail logs IAM CreateUser, CreateRole, and AttachRolePolicy events. Amazon CloudWatch Logs can filter these events and trigger alerts via CloudWatch Alarms. Option A is wrong because AWS Config evaluates current configuration but does not provide real-time alerts on API calls. Option B is wrong because AWS Trusted Advisor is for best-practice checks, not real-time monitoring. Option D is wrong because Amazon GuardDuty focuses on threat detection, not specific IAM policy changes.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related SCS-C02 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company's security team wants to receive alerts when an IAM user creates a new access key. Which AWS service can be used to monitor and notify on this specific API call?
easy
A.AWS Trusted Advisor
B.Amazon GuardDuty
✓ C.AWS CloudTrail with Amazon CloudWatch Events
D.AWS Config
Why C: Option C is correct because CloudTrail logs IAM CreateAccessKey events, and CloudWatch Events can trigger a notification. Option A is wrong because AWS Config is for resource compliance. Option B is wrong because GuardDuty is for threat detection. Option D is wrong because Trusted Advisor is for best practices.
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.