The answer is that the SSM Agent is not running or is not registered with AWS Systems Manager. Amazon Inspector relies on the SSM Agent to establish communication with the Systems Manager service; if the agent process is stopped or the instance has never been activated in Systems Manager, Inspector cannot manage it and marks it as 'Unmanaged'. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that simply installing the agent is insufficient—it must be both running and properly registered, often requiring a manual activation step or an instance profile with the correct trust policy. A common trap is assuming internet access or IAM permissions alone fix the issue, but the core requirement is a live, registered agent. Memory tip: think "Run and Register"—if the agent isn't both, Inspector can't inspect.
SCS-C02 Security Logging and Monitoring Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security logging and monitoring. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 security engineer is configuring Amazon Inspector to assess EC2 instances for software vulnerabilities. The engineer has installed the SSM Agent on all instances and ensured that the instances have internet access. However, Amazon Inspector shows the instances as 'Unmanaged'. What is the MOST likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The SSM Agent is not running or is not registered with AWS Systems Manager.
Option B is correct because Amazon Inspector requires the SSM Agent to communicate with the SSM service; if the agent is not running or not registered, the instance cannot be managed. Option A is wrong because IAM permissions for the agent are not the issue; the agent communicates via SSM. Option C is wrong because security groups control network traffic but not agent registration. Option D is wrong because instance metadata service is not required for Inspector.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
The IAM role attached to the EC2 instance does not have permissions to publish metrics to CloudWatch.
Why it's wrong here
Amazon Inspector does not use CloudWatch metrics; it uses SSM.
✗
The security group attached to the instance blocks outbound traffic to the Amazon Inspector service.
Why it's wrong here
Security groups can affect connectivity, but the instance shows as 'Unmanaged' due to agent registration, not connectivity.
✗
The instance does not have the EC2 instance metadata service enabled.
Why it's wrong here
Instance metadata service is not required for Inspector.
✓
The SSM Agent is not running or is not registered with AWS Systems Manager.
Why this is correct
Inspector relies on SSM Agent for inventory and assessment; an unregistered agent results in 'Unmanaged' status.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Security groups can affect connectivity, but the instance shows as 'Unmanaged' due to agent registration, not connectivity.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
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.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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.
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.
Security Logging and Monitoring — This question tests Security Logging and Monitoring — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The SSM Agent is not running or is not registered with AWS Systems Manager. — Option B is correct because Amazon Inspector requires the SSM Agent to communicate with the SSM service; if the agent is not running or not registered, the instance cannot be managed. Option A is wrong because IAM permissions for the agent are not the issue; the agent communicates via SSM. Option C is wrong because security groups control network traffic but not agent registration. Option D is wrong because instance metadata service is not required for Inspector.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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