Quick Answer
The answer is Amazon GuardDuty and AWS CloudTrail with CloudWatch Logs metric filters. GuardDuty uses machine learning and integrated threat intelligence to continuously monitor for anomalous API calls and unauthorized behavior, while CloudTrail records every API call made in your account, and by sending those logs to CloudWatch Logs, you can create metric filters that detect patterns like repeated unauthorized calls or root user activity, triggering alarms via SNS for near real-time detection. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of how detective controls work together—GuardDuty is the managed threat detection service, but CloudTrail plus CloudWatch metric filters is the manual, customizable alternative. A common trap is choosing AWS Config, which tracks resource configuration changes, not API call anomalies. Memory tip: think of GuardDuty as the automated guard, and CloudTrail with CloudWatch as your custom-built alarm system for API activity.
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of threat detection and incident response. 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.
Which TWO AWS services can be used to detect anomalous API calls in an AWS account?
AWS CloudTrail with Amazon CloudWatch Logs metric filters.
Can detect patterns like multiple failed API calls.
AWS Shield Advanced.
Why wrong: DDoS protection service.
Amazon GuardDuty.
Detects anomalous API activity via threat intelligence and ML.
AWS Config with managed rules.
Why wrong: Evaluates resource configurations, not API calls.
AWS WAF.
Why wrong: Web application firewall for HTTP requests.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS CloudTrail with Amazon CloudWatch Logs metric filters.
AWS CloudTrail with Amazon CloudWatch Logs metric filters is correct because CloudTrail records all API calls, and you can create metric filters on CloudWatch Logs to match patterns indicative of anomalous activity (e.g., unauthorized API calls, root user activity). When the filter triggers a threshold, it can send an alarm via Amazon SNS, enabling detection of anomalous API calls in near real-time.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
AWS CloudTrail with Amazon CloudWatch Logs metric filters.
Why this is correct
Can detect patterns like multiple failed API calls.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS Shield Advanced.
Why it's wrong here
DDoS protection service.
Amazon GuardDuty.
Why this is correct
Detects anomalous API activity via threat intelligence and ML.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS Config with managed rules.
Why it's wrong here
Evaluates resource configurations, not API calls.
AWS WAF.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse AWS Config's compliance evaluation (which checks resource configurations) with API call monitoring, leading them to select AWS Config instead of recognizing that only CloudTrail and GuardDuty (which uses CloudTrail logs and VPC Flow Logs for anomaly detection) can detect anomalous API calls.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, CloudTrail delivers log files to an S3 bucket and optionally to CloudWatch Logs, where metric filters use pattern matching (e.g., JSON-based filter patterns) to count occurrences of specific API calls like 'ConsoleLogin' with a failure status. A real-world scenario is detecting a brute-force attack on the AWS Management Console by creating a metric filter for 'ConsoleLogin' events with 'ErrorMessage' containing 'Failed authentication', then triggering an alarm after 5 failures within 5 minutes.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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.
What to study next
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FAQ
Threat Detection and Incident Response — This question tests Threat Detection and Incident Response — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: AWS CloudTrail with Amazon CloudWatch Logs metric filters. — AWS CloudTrail with Amazon CloudWatch Logs metric filters is correct because CloudTrail records all API calls, and you can create metric filters on CloudWatch Logs to match patterns indicative of anomalous activity (e.g., unauthorized API calls, root user activity). When the filter triggers a threshold, it can send an alarm via Amazon SNS, enabling detection of anomalous API calls in near real-time.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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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