- A
Enable VPC Flow Logs for the subnet.
Why wrong: Only captures metadata, not full packets.
- B
Configure AWS Network Firewall in the VPC.
Why wrong: Used for filtering, not capturing full traffic.
- C
Install the Amazon CloudWatch agent on the instance.
Why wrong: Does not capture network packets.
- D
Use VPC Traffic Mirroring.
Captures full network packets without installing software.
Question 623 of 1,748
SCS-C02 Security Logging and Monitoring Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security logging and monitoring. 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 security incident involving an EC2 instance. The engineer needs to capture network traffic to and from the instance for analysis. Which method should be used to capture this traffic without installing any software on the instance?
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 VPC Traffic Mirroring.
VPC Traffic Mirroring captures and inspects network traffic at the Elastic Network Interface (ENI) level without requiring any software installation on the EC2 instance. It copies traffic from a source ENI to a target, such as a Network Load Balancer or another ENI, for analysis by security appliances. This meets the requirement of capturing traffic without installing software on the instance.
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 VPC Flow Logs for the subnet.
Why it's wrong here
Only captures metadata, not full packets.
- ✗
Configure AWS Network Firewall in the VPC.
Why it's wrong here
Used for filtering, not capturing full traffic.
- ✗
Install the Amazon CloudWatch agent on the instance.
Why it's wrong here
Does not capture network packets.
- ✓
Use VPC Traffic Mirroring.
Why this is correct
Captures full network packets without installing software.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing VPC Flow Logs (metadata only) with full packet capture; candidates often pick VPC Flow Logs because they are a familiar logging feature, but they lack the payload data needed for deep packet analysis.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
VPC Traffic Mirroring uses a filter (e.g., based on protocol, source/destination CIDR, or port range) and a session to copy traffic from a source ENI to a target. The mirrored traffic is encapsulated using VXLAN (UDP port 4789) to preserve the original packet integrity. This is ideal for intrusion detection systems (IDS) or network forensic tools that require full packet payloads, unlike Flow Logs which only provide Layer 3/4 metadata.
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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
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.
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Security Logging and Monitoring — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
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: Use VPC Traffic Mirroring. — VPC Traffic Mirroring captures and inspects network traffic at the Elastic Network Interface (ENI) level without requiring any software installation on the EC2 instance. It copies traffic from a source ENI to a target, such as a Network Load Balancer or another ENI, for analysis by security appliances. This meets the requirement of capturing traffic without installing software on the instance.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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