How to Centralize Security Alerts from Multiple AWS Services Using Security Hub
A company uses AWS Organizations with multiple accounts. The security team wants a centralized view of all security alerts and findings from services like GuardDuty, Security Hub, and Inspector across all accounts. What is the MOST efficient way to achieve this?
Quick Answer
The answer is to use AWS Security Hub with cross-account aggregation in the management account. This is the correct choice because Security Hub is purpose-built to centralize security findings from multiple services like GuardDuty and Inspector, and when cross-account aggregation is enabled, it automatically consolidates all alerts from every member account into a single dashboard in the management account without requiring custom pipelines or log collection. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of native AWS security governance in a multi-account environment, often appearing as a distractor against options like building a custom Lambda solution or using CloudWatch cross-account logs. A common trap is choosing to enable Security Hub in each account individually, which still requires manual navigation; the key is remembering that cross-account aggregation is the most efficient, fully managed approach. Memory tip: think of Security Hub as the "single pane of glass" for all security findings, and "aggregation" as the magic that makes it work across accounts.
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often think CloudWatch Logs or OpsCenter are suitable for centralized security findings, but they lack the native cross-account aggregation and structured finding format that Security Hub provides, which is the most efficient and purpose-built solution.
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
✓
Use AWS Security Hub with cross-account aggregation in the management account.
AWS Security Hub is designed to aggregate findings from multiple security services (GuardDuty, Inspector, etc.) across accounts. By enabling cross-account aggregation in the management account of AWS Organizations, Security Hub provides a single, centralized dashboard for all security alerts and findings without needing to collect raw logs or build custom dashboards. This is the most efficient and native approach for a multi-account environment.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use AWS Systems Manager OpsCenter to centrally view all security findings.
Why it's wrong here
OpsCenter aggregates operational issues and incidents, not GuardDuty, Security Hub or Inspector findings, so it provides no security-finding view. It tempts as a central console, but it would be correct for tracking operational remediation items, not cross-account security findings.
- ✗
Use individual service consoles (GuardDuty, Security Hub, Inspector) for each account.
Why it's wrong here
Per-account consoles give no aggregated cross-account view, forcing the security team to switch accounts manually, which fails the centralisation requirement. It tempts because each console does show that account's findings, but it would only suit a single-account environment.
- ✗
Use Amazon CloudWatch Logs to collect logs from each account and create custom dashboards.
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Logs stores raw log data and cannot natively ingest or normalise GuardDuty, Security Hub and Inspector findings into a unified security view. It tempts as a central aggregation service, but it would be correct for operational log analysis, not security-finding consolidation.
- ✓
Use AWS Security Hub with cross-account aggregation in the management account.
Why this is correct
AWS Security Hub cross-account aggregation in the management account consolidates findings from GuardDuty, Inspector and Security Hub across every member account into one pane, satisfying the centralized-view requirement. It uses the Organizations management account as the aggregation administrator, avoiding per-account tooling or duplicated dashboards.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on SCS-C02
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. An organization uses AWS Organizations with multiple accounts. The security team needs a centralized location to collect and analyze security findings from GuardDuty, Inspector, and Macie. Which AWS service should they use?
medium- A.Amazon Detective
- ✓ B.AWS Security Hub
- C.Amazon CloudWatch
- D.AWS Config
Why B: AWS Security Hub is the correct service because it provides a centralized view of security alerts and compliance status across multiple AWS accounts. It aggregates findings from GuardDuty, Inspector, and Macie, normalizing them into the AWS Security Finding Format (ASFF), enabling the security team to analyze and prioritize threats in a single dashboard.
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.