- A
Enable CloudWatch Contributor Insights for the Lambda function to automatically detect errors.
Why wrong: Contributor Insights is for analyzing high-cardinality data, not for simple error counting.
- B
Create a metric filter on the log group to count occurrences of 'ERROR' in log streams, then create an alarm based on that metric.
This is the standard approach: define a metric filter to extract error counts from logs, then create an alarm.
- C
Configure the Lambda function to publish custom metrics for errors instead of relying on logs.
Why wrong: While possible, the question asks about using the existing log group; custom metrics would require code changes.
- D
Use CloudWatch Logs Insights to query logs for errors and create an alarm directly from the query results.
Why wrong: CloudWatch Logs Insights does not directly support alarm creation; you need a metric filter.
Setting Up CloudWatch Alarms for Lambda Function Errors
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security logging and monitoring. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. A security engineer wants to monitor a Lambda function for errors and create a CloudWatch alarm when errors exceed a threshold. The engineer notices the log group exists but has no metric filters. What should the engineer do to set up the alarm?
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
Create a metric filter on the log group to count occurrences of 'ERROR' in log streams, then create an alarm based on that metric.
Option B is correct because CloudWatch Logs metric filters allow you to extract and count specific patterns (like 'ERROR') from log streams, and then create a CloudWatch alarm based on that metric. This directly addresses the requirement to monitor the Lambda function for errors without needing to modify the function code or rely on external tools.
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 CloudWatch Contributor Insights for the Lambda function to automatically detect errors.
Why it's wrong here
Contributor Insights is for analyzing high-cardinality data, not for simple error counting.
- ✓
Create a metric filter on the log group to count occurrences of 'ERROR' in log streams, then create an alarm based on that metric.
Why this is correct
This is the standard approach: define a metric filter to extract error counts from logs, then create an alarm.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure the Lambda function to publish custom metrics for errors instead of relying on logs.
Why it's wrong here
While possible, the question asks about using the existing log group; custom metrics would require code changes.
- ✗
Use CloudWatch Logs Insights to query logs for errors and create an alarm directly from the query results.
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Logs Insights does not directly support alarm creation; you need a metric filter.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse CloudWatch Logs Insights (a query tool) with metric filters (a real-time monitoring mechanism), or assume that Contributor Insights can generate alarms, when in fact only metric filters can directly feed into CloudWatch alarms.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Metric filters in CloudWatch Logs work by scanning incoming log events in real-time and incrementing a metric value when a specified pattern (e.g., 'ERROR') is matched. The metric is then available in CloudWatch with a namespace like 'AWS/Logs' and can be used in alarms with a statistic such as 'Sum' over a period. A common subtlety is that metric filters only apply to log events ingested after the filter is created, so historical logs are not counted unless the filter is applied retroactively.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
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: Create a metric filter on the log group to count occurrences of 'ERROR' in log streams, then create an alarm based on that metric. — Option B is correct because CloudWatch Logs metric filters allow you to extract and count specific patterns (like 'ERROR') from log streams, and then create a CloudWatch alarm based on that metric. This directly addresses the requirement to monitor the Lambda function for errors without needing to modify the function code or rely on external tools.
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 designing a monitoring solution for an AWS Lambda function that processes sensitive data. The function occasionally fails due to timeouts. The engineer needs to be alerted immediately when the function fails and also wants to analyze the error logs. Which combination of services should the engineer use?
medium- A.Amazon CloudWatch Logs and Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose
- ✓ B.Amazon CloudWatch Logs and CloudWatch Alarms with Amazon SNS
- C.AWS CloudTrail and Amazon SNS
- D.AWS Config and Amazon SNS
Why B: Option B is correct because Amazon CloudWatch Logs captures the Lambda function's execution logs, including timeout errors, and CloudWatch Alarms can monitor specific metrics like `Errors` or `Throttles` for the function. When the alarm state is triggered (e.g., `ALARM`), it publishes a notification to an Amazon SNS topic, which can send immediate alerts via email, SMS, or other endpoints. This combination provides both real-time alerting and log analysis for troubleshooting.
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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.
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