SCS-C02 Threat Detection and Incident Response Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of threat detection and incident response. 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 security engineer is investigating a potential compromise of an EC2 instance. The engineer wants to capture volatile memory data and create a forensic image of the instance's EBS volumes. Which TWO actions should the engineer take? (Choose 2.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use AWS Systems Manager Run Command to execute a memory capture script.
Option B is correct because AWS Systems Manager Run Command allows you to remotely execute scripts on EC2 instances without needing SSH access, which is critical during incident response to capture volatile memory data before the instance is compromised further. Option D is correct because creating an EBS snapshot provides a point-in-time forensic image of the root volume that can be analyzed offline without altering the original evidence.
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.
✗
Enable AWS CloudTrail for the instance.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail logs API calls, not memory.
✓
Use AWS Systems Manager Run Command to execute a memory capture script.
Why this is correct
Run Command can execute memory capture tools.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use AWS Backup to create a backup of the instance.
Why it's wrong here
AWS Backup is not designed for forensic capture.
✓
Create an Amazon EBS snapshot of the instance's root volume.
Why this is correct
EBS snapshots provide forensic disk images.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use Amazon Inspector to scan the instance for vulnerabilities.
Why it's wrong here
Inspector is a vulnerability assessment tool.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse AWS Backup (a managed backup service) with EBS snapshots, not realizing that AWS Backup does not provide the immediate, point-in-time forensic snapshot needed for incident response and may introduce additional latency or metadata changes.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Volatile memory capture on EC2 instances typically uses tools like LiME (Linux Memory Extractor) or DumpIt for Windows, executed via Systems Manager Run Command with an IAM role that grants ssm:SendCommand and ssm:GetCommandInvocation permissions. EBS snapshots are stored in Amazon S3 and can be used to launch a forensic analysis instance in a separate AWS account or VPC to avoid contaminating the original evidence; snapshots capture the entire block-level state, including deleted files that may still reside in unallocated space.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Threat Detection and Incident Response — This question tests Threat Detection and Incident Response — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use AWS Systems Manager Run Command to execute a memory capture script. — Option B is correct because AWS Systems Manager Run Command allows you to remotely execute scripts on EC2 instances without needing SSH access, which is critical during incident response to capture volatile memory data before the instance is compromised further. Option D is correct because creating an EBS snapshot provides a point-in-time forensic image of the root volume that can be analyzed offline without altering the original evidence.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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