The answer is DNS queries to known crypto-mining pools, along with outbound connections on port 3333 and unusual spikes in CPU or network traffic. These three indicators are correct because crypto-mining malware must resolve domain names for mining pool servers, often using port 3333 for communication with command-and-control infrastructure, while the intensive computational work generates detectable anomalies in resource utilization. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of GuardDuty’s threat intelligence feeds and its ability to correlate DNS logs, VPC Flow Logs, and CloudTrail events to identify crypto-mining behavior. A common trap is focusing solely on port 3333 while ignoring the DNS component, or assuming that only network traffic matters—GuardDuty’s strength lies in combining multiple data sources. Remember the mnemonic “DNS, Port, and Power” to recall the three pillars: domain lookups, specific mining ports, and abnormal resource consumption.
SCS-C02 Threat Detection and Incident Response Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of threat detection and incident response. 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.
A company's security team is configuring Amazon GuardDuty to detect crypto-mining activities on EC2 instances. Which THREE indicators should the team monitor? (Choose 3.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Outbound connections to IP addresses on port 3333.
Option A is correct because crypto-mining malware often uses port 3333 for communication with mining pools or command-and-control servers. GuardDuty can detect outbound connections to known malicious IP addresses on this port as part of its threat intelligence feeds, which include indicators of compromise (IOCs) associated with crypto-mining activity.
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.
✓
Outbound connections to IP addresses on port 3333.
Why this is correct
Port 3333 is commonly used by mining pools.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Unusually high CPU utilization on EC2 instances.
Why this is correct
High CPU is a common mining indicator.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
High volume of inbound network traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Inbound traffic is not indicative of mining.
✓
DNS queries to known crypto-mining pools.
Why this is correct
GuardDuty can detect DNS requests to mining domains.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
High disk I/O operations.
Why it's wrong here
Mining does not typically cause high disk I/O.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse high inbound traffic with outbound traffic, or assume disk I/O is a primary indicator of crypto-mining, when in fact CPU utilization and DNS queries to mining pools are the key signals GuardDuty uses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Crypto-mining malware, such as Coinhive or XMRig, typically establishes persistent outbound connections to mining pool servers using protocols like Stratum (TCP port 3333) or getwork (port 8332). GuardDuty leverages AWS threat intelligence and machine learning to baseline normal EC2 behavior; a sudden spike in CPU utilization combined with DNS queries to known mining pool domains (e.g., pool.minexmr.com) triggers a finding like 'CryptoCurrency:EC2/BitcoinTool.B!DNS'.
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: Outbound connections to IP addresses on port 3333. — Option A is correct because crypto-mining malware often uses port 3333 for communication with mining pools or command-and-control servers. GuardDuty can detect outbound connections to known malicious IP addresses on this port as part of its threat intelligence feeds, which include indicators of compromise (IOCs) associated with crypto-mining activity.
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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Question Discussion
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