Quick Answer
The correct answer is AWS CloudTrail, as it is the service specifically designed to capture all API activity across your AWS environment, including KMS Decrypt API calls. When a user or application attempts to decrypt data using a KMS key, CloudTrail records the event with details like the key ID, requester, and timestamp, enabling comprehensive auditing of key usage. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of which service directly records management-plane operations versus data-plane logs. A common trap is confusing CloudTrail with S3 server access logs or VPC Flow Logs—remember that S3 logs only track object-level requests, not KMS decryption events, and Flow Logs capture network traffic, not API calls. For a memory tip, think of CloudTrail as the “audit trail” for every API call, while CloudWatch Logs is just a destination for those logs, not the capture mechanism itself.
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of data protection. 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 KMS to encrypt data in Amazon S3. They need to audit all KMS key usage for an S3 bucket. Which AWS service should be used to capture KMS Decrypt API calls?
Amazon S3 server access logs
Why wrong: S3 server access logs only record requests made to S3, not KMS API calls.
Amazon VPC Flow Logs
Why wrong: VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic metadata, not API calls.
AWS CloudTrail
CloudTrail records all KMS API calls, including Decrypt, for auditing.
AWS CloudWatch Logs
Why wrong: CloudWatch Logs can store logs but does not capture KMS API calls directly; requires integration with CloudTrail.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS CloudTrail
AWS CloudTrail captures API calls to AWS services, including KMS Decrypt. CloudTrail logs can be delivered to S3 for analysis. Option C is correct. CloudWatch Logs can receive logs but does not directly capture KMS API calls; S3 server access logs do not include KMS decryption events; VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic, not API calls.
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.
Amazon S3 server access logs
Why it's wrong here
S3 server access logs only record requests made to S3, not KMS API calls.
Amazon VPC Flow Logs
Why it's wrong here
VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic metadata, not API calls.
AWS CloudTrail
Why this is correct
CloudTrail records all KMS API calls, including Decrypt, for auditing.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS CloudWatch Logs
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Logs can store logs but does not capture KMS API calls directly; requires integration with CloudTrail.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Identify which SCS-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Data Protection — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Data Protection — This question tests Data Protection — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: AWS CloudTrail — AWS CloudTrail captures API calls to AWS services, including KMS Decrypt. CloudTrail logs can be delivered to S3 for analysis. Option C is correct. CloudWatch Logs can receive logs but does not directly capture KMS API calls; S3 server access logs do not include KMS decryption events; VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic, not API calls.
Identify which SCS-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 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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