- A
Enable VPC Flow Logs to capture network traffic and use CloudTrail to capture API calls. Correlate both logs for a complete view.
Both services together provide comprehensive visibility.
- B
Use AWS Config to track resource changes and CloudTrail to detect network anomalies.
Why wrong: Config tracks configuration, not network or API calls.
- C
Analyze CloudTrail logs to identify API calls and correlate with VPC Flow Logs for network traffic.
Why wrong: This is the correct approach but the option wording is incomplete; actually, analyzing both is correct but option B is more direct.
- D
Use VPC Flow Logs to identify API calls and network traffic.
Why wrong: Flow Logs do not capture API call details.
Question 1,131 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 data exfiltration incident. The engineer has enabled VPC Flow Logs for the VPC and CloudTrail for the account. Which combination of actions would provide the most comprehensive visibility into network traffic and API calls?
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
✓
Enable VPC Flow Logs to capture network traffic and use CloudTrail to capture API calls. Correlate both logs for a complete view.
Option A is correct because VPC Flow Logs capture metadata about network traffic (IP addresses, ports, protocols, packet/byte counts) at the VPC level, while CloudTrail records API calls made to the AWS environment. Correlating these two data sources provides a comprehensive view: VPC Flow Logs reveal the network flows that could indicate data exfiltration, and CloudTrail identifies the specific API actions (e.g., S3 GetObject, EC2 DescribeInstances) that may have initiated or authorized the transfer. This combination is the standard approach for investigating data exfiltration incidents in AWS.
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 to capture network traffic and use CloudTrail to capture API calls. Correlate both logs for a complete view.
Why this is correct
Both services together provide comprehensive visibility.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use AWS Config to track resource changes and CloudTrail to detect network anomalies.
Why it's wrong here
Config tracks configuration, not network or API calls.
- ✗
Analyze CloudTrail logs to identify API calls and correlate with VPC Flow Logs for network traffic.
Why it's wrong here
This is the correct approach but the option wording is incomplete; actually, analyzing both is correct but option B is more direct.
- ✗
Use VPC Flow Logs to identify API calls and network traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Flow Logs do not capture API call details.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume VPC Flow Logs capture application-layer data or API calls, but they only capture network metadata (Layer 3/4), while CloudTrail is required for API-level visibility; mixing up these capabilities leads to selecting an incorrect option like C or D.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
VPC Flow Logs use the AWS VPC flow log agent to capture packet metadata at the network interface level, recording fields such as srcaddr, dstaddr, srcport, dstport, protocol, packets, bytes, and action (ACCEPT/REJECT). CloudTrail records management and data events (e.g., S3 object-level operations) via the AWS API, including the identity, source IP, and request parameters. In a real-world exfiltration scenario, an attacker might use an IAM role to call S3:GetObject (logged in CloudTrail) and then transfer data over HTTPS (port 443) to an external IP (logged in VPC Flow Logs); correlating these logs by source IP and timestamp reveals the full attack path.
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.
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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: Enable VPC Flow Logs to capture network traffic and use CloudTrail to capture API calls. Correlate both logs for a complete view. — Option A is correct because VPC Flow Logs capture metadata about network traffic (IP addresses, ports, protocols, packet/byte counts) at the VPC level, while CloudTrail records API calls made to the AWS environment. Correlating these two data sources provides a comprehensive view: VPC Flow Logs reveal the network flows that could indicate data exfiltration, and CloudTrail identifies the specific API actions (e.g., S3 GetObject, EC2 DescribeInstances) that may have initiated or authorized the transfer. This combination is the standard approach for investigating data exfiltration incidents in AWS.
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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