Quick Answer
The answer is Amazon Macie and AWS CloudTrail. Macie uses machine learning to automatically discover sensitive data like PII or financial records in S3 and then monitor for suspicious access patterns, such as unusual data exfiltration or anomalous read volumes. CloudTrail complements this by recording all S3 API calls—like GetObject or PutObject—providing the detailed audit trail that Macie analyzes to detect deviations from normal behavior. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this pairing tests your understanding that Macie is purpose-built for S3 data visibility and anomaly detection, while CloudTrail supplies the raw event data; a common trap is confusing GuardDuty, which focuses on broader threat detection across AWS accounts and workloads, not specifically on S3 data access patterns. Remember the mnemonic: Macie minds the data, CloudTrail captures the calls.
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 wants to protect sensitive data in Amazon S3 from unauthorized access. Which TWO AWS services can be used to detect and alert on suspicious access patterns?
AWS CloudTrail
Logs S3 API calls for analysis.
AWS Config
Why wrong: Tracks configuration changes.
Amazon CloudWatch Logs
Why wrong: Stores logs but needs additional analysis.
Amazon GuardDuty
Why wrong: Focuses on threats, not data access patterns.
Amazon Macie
Discovers and monitors sensitive data in S3.
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
Options A and C are correct. Amazon Macie uses machine learning to discover and protect sensitive data, and AWS CloudTrail logs API calls for monitoring. Option B is wrong because GuardDuty is for threat detection across accounts, not specifically for S3 data access. Option D is wrong because Config is for compliance. Option E is wrong because CloudWatch Logs can store logs but not analyze access patterns without additional services.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
AWS CloudTrail
Why this is correct
Logs S3 API calls for analysis.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
AWS Config
Why it's wrong here
Tracks configuration changes.
Amazon CloudWatch Logs
Why it's wrong here
Stores logs but needs additional analysis.
Amazon GuardDuty
Why it's wrong here
Focuses on threats, not data access patterns.
Amazon Macie
Why this is correct
Discovers and monitors sensitive data in S3.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
Common exam traps
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SCS-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Data Protection — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Data Protection — This question tests Data Protection — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
The correct answer is: AWS CloudTrail — Options A and C are correct. Amazon Macie uses machine learning to discover and protect sensitive data, and AWS CloudTrail logs API calls for monitoring. Option B is wrong because GuardDuty is for threat detection across accounts, not specifically for S3 data access. Option D is wrong because Config is for compliance. Option E is wrong because CloudWatch Logs can store logs but not analyze access patterns without additional services.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SCS-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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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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