The answer is AWS CloudTrail, because it serves as the definitive audit log for all API activity within an AWS account, recording every call made by an IAM user along with the source IP address, user identity, and request parameters. When investigating credential compromise, CloudTrail allows you to filter by the specific access key or user ARN over the last 24 hours to quickly surface all EC2 launches and other API calls, including the originating IPs, which is exactly what the security engineer needs. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that CloudTrail is the go-to service for forensic investigation of user activity, while common traps might suggest CloudWatch Logs (which stores logs but doesn’t natively record API calls) or AWS Config (which tracks resource configuration changes, not API actions). Remember the mnemonic: “CloudTrail tracks the trail of API calls, CloudWatch watches metrics, Config checks compliance.”
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 credential compromise. An IAM user's access key was used to launch EC2 instances in a region where the user has never operated before. The engineer wants to quickly identify all API calls made by this user in the last 24 hours, including the source IP addresses. Which AWS service or feature should be used?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "never"
Why it matters: Absolute qualifier. True only if the statement has zero exceptions — be cautious of options that seem obvious but break down in edge cases.
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 is the correct service because it records all API calls made by IAM users, including the source IP address, user identity, and request details. By querying CloudTrail logs for the specific IAM user's access key over the last 24 hours, the engineer can identify every EC2-related and other API call, along with the originating IP addresses, enabling rapid investigation of the potential credential compromise.
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.
✓
AWS CloudTrail
Why this is correct
CloudTrail records all management and data events, including API calls with user identity and source IP.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "never" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
VPC Flow Logs
Why it's wrong here
VPC Flow Logs capture IP traffic metadata, not API calls.
✗
AWS Trusted Advisor
Why it's wrong here
Trusted Advisor provides optimization recommendations, not audit logs.
✗
Amazon CloudWatch Logs
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Logs can store logs but does not natively capture API calls; requires additional configuration.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse VPC Flow Logs (network-level traffic) with CloudTrail (API-level activity), mistakenly thinking flow logs can identify which IAM user performed an action, when in fact flow logs only show IP addresses and ports without user identity.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudTrail records all management events (e.g., RunInstances, CreateUser) as JSON log entries containing fields like `userIdentity`, `sourceIPAddress`, `eventTime`, and `requestParameters`. For EC2 instance launches, the `eventName` is `RunInstances`, and the `sourceIPAddress` field reveals the originating IP. A real-world scenario: if an attacker uses a stolen access key from a different region, CloudTrail will show the `awsRegion` field differing from the user's typical region, and the `sourceIPAddress` may belong to an unfamiliar geographic location, aiding rapid detection.
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: AWS CloudTrail — AWS CloudTrail is the correct service because it records all API calls made by IAM users, including the source IP address, user identity, and request details. By querying CloudTrail logs for the specific IAM user's access key over the last 24 hours, the engineer can identify every EC2-related and other API call, along with the originating IP addresses, enabling rapid investigation of the potential credential compromise.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "never". Absolute qualifier. True only if the statement has zero exceptions — be cautious of options that seem obvious but break down in edge cases.
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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