- A
eventID
Why wrong: eventID is a unique identifier for the event, not user agent or IP.
- B
requestParameters
Why wrong: requestParameters contains the API call parameters, not metadata.
- C
userAgent and sourceIPAddress
These fields contain the required information.
- D
resources
Why wrong: resources lists the affected resources.
Question 534 of 1,748
Locate Source IP and User Agent in CloudTrail Logs
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security logging and monitoring. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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. CloudTrail logs show that an IAM user 'admin' deleted an S3 bucket at 2023-01-15T10:30:00Z. The engineer needs to find the source IP address and user agent of the request. Which CloudTrail log field contains this information?
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
✓
userAgent and sourceIPAddress
The correct answer is C because CloudTrail logs capture the `userAgent` and `sourceIPAddress` fields directly in the log event record. These fields are part of the CloudTrail `Event` record structure, specifically under the `userIdentity` and `sourceIPAddress` top-level attributes, and they provide the exact source IP address and user agent string (e.g., AWS CLI, SDK, console browser) for the API call that deleted the S3 bucket.
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.
- ✗
eventID
Why it's wrong here
eventID is a unique identifier for the event, not user agent or IP.
- ✗
requestParameters
Why it's wrong here
requestParameters contains the API call parameters, not metadata.
- ✓
userAgent and sourceIPAddress
Why this is correct
These fields contain the required information.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
resources
Why it's wrong here
resources lists the affected resources.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse `requestParameters` with containing all request metadata, but it only holds the API call's input parameters, not the network-level origin details like source IP or user agent.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, CloudTrail logs are delivered as JSON records where `sourceIPAddress` is a top-level string field (e.g., '203.0.113.5') and `userAgent` is also a top-level string (e.g., 'aws-sdk-java/2.17.0 Linux/5.10'). These fields are populated by the AWS service receiving the API call, derived from the HTTP request headers. In a real-world scenario, if the source IP is a private IP (e.g., 10.x.x.x), it indicates the request originated from within a VPC via a VPC endpoint, which is critical for incident response to distinguish internal vs. external threats.
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 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.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
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.
- →
Security Logging and Monitoring — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Security Logging and Monitoring practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All SCS-C02 questions
1,748 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
SCS-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related SCS-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Threat Detection and Incident Response practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Threat Detection and Incident Response.
Security Logging and Monitoring practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Security Logging and Monitoring.
Identity and Access Management practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Identity and Access Management.
Management and Security Governance practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Management and Security Governance.
Infrastructure Security practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Infrastructure Security.
Data Protection practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to Data Protection.
SCS-C02 fundamentals practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to SCS-C02 fundamentals.
SCS-C02 scenario practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to SCS-C02 scenario.
SCS-C02 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise SCS-C02 questions linked to SCS-C02 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free SCS-C02 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: userAgent and sourceIPAddress — The correct answer is C because CloudTrail logs capture the `userAgent` and `sourceIPAddress` fields directly in the log event record. These fields are part of the CloudTrail `Event` record structure, specifically under the `userIdentity` and `sourceIPAddress` top-level attributes, and they provide the exact source IP address and user agent string (e.g., AWS CLI, SDK, console browser) for the API call that deleted the S3 bucket.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on SCS-C02
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A security engineer is reviewing AWS CloudTrail logs and finds that an IAM user 'developer1' deleted an S3 bucket. The engineer needs to determine the source IP address of the delete operation. Which field in the CloudTrail log record contains this information?
medium- A.userIdentity
- B.requestParameters
- C.eventTime
- ✓ D.sourceIPAddress
Why D: The `sourceIPAddress` field in a CloudTrail log record captures the IP address from which the API call was made. For S3 bucket deletion via the AWS Management Console, AWS CLI, or SDK, this field records the originating IP address, enabling the security engineer to trace the delete operation back to its source.
Keep practising
More SCS-C02 practice questions
- A company uses AWS Organizations with multiple accounts. The security team wants to enforce that all Amazon S3 buckets a…
- A company is designing a multi-tier web application on AWS. The web tier must be accessible from the internet, but the a…
- A company is migrating a legacy application to AWS. The application requires two-way communication between the web serve…
- A security engineer is troubleshooting connectivity issues between an Amazon EC2 instance in a VPC and an on-premises se…
- A security engineer is reviewing the SQS queue policy shown in the exhibit. The queue is subscribed to an SNS topic in t…
- A company uses AWS Organizations with multiple accounts. The security team wants to ensure that all IAM users in the pro…
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.