The correct approach is to configure CloudTrail to send logs to CloudWatch Logs, create a metric filter for DeleteTrail events, and set a CloudWatch alarm to send an SNS notification. This works because CloudTrail management events, including the DeleteTrail API call, are automatically delivered to CloudWatch Logs, where a metric filter can match the exact event name. The alarm then triggers an SNS notification within minutes, directly meeting the requirement to detect and alert on deleted CloudTrail logs. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of real-time monitoring versus post-event analysis—a common trap is focusing on S3 event notifications for log file deletion, which only catches file-level changes, not the trail itself. Remember the key distinction: you monitor the API call that deletes the trail, not the log files. Memory tip: think “Trail, not file”—the alarm watches for the DeleteTrail action, not the deletion of individual log objects.
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 wants to ensure that any deleted CloudTrail logs are detected and alerted within minutes. Which approach should they use?
Enable S3 event notifications on the CloudTrail bucket for DELETE events.
Why wrong: S3 events are near-real-time but not as immediate as CloudWatch.
B
Configure CloudTrail to send logs to CloudWatch Logs, create a metric filter for DeleteTrail events, and set a CloudWatch alarm to send an SNS notification.
Real-time detection via CloudWatch Logs metric filters.
C
Use AWS Config to track CloudTrail configuration changes and trigger a Lambda function.
Why wrong: Config evaluates periodically, not real-time.
D
Enable Amazon GuardDuty to monitor CloudTrail management events.
Why wrong: GuardDuty detects threats but may not alert on deletion immediately.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure CloudTrail to send logs to CloudWatch Logs, create a metric filter for DeleteTrail events, and set a CloudWatch alarm to send an SNS notification.
Option B is correct because CloudTrail management events (including DeleteTrail) are delivered to CloudWatch Logs, where a metric filter can match the exact event name. A CloudWatch alarm on that metric triggers an SNS notification within minutes, meeting the detection and alerting requirement. This approach directly monitors the CloudTrail API call that deletes the trail itself, not just the log files.
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 S3 event notifications on the CloudTrail bucket for DELETE events.
Why it's wrong here
S3 events are near-real-time but not as immediate as CloudWatch.
✓
Configure CloudTrail to send logs to CloudWatch Logs, create a metric filter for DeleteTrail events, and set a CloudWatch alarm to send an SNS notification.
Why this is correct
Real-time detection via CloudWatch Logs metric filters.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use AWS Config to track CloudTrail configuration changes and trigger a Lambda function.
Why it's wrong here
Config evaluates periodically, not real-time.
✗
Enable Amazon GuardDuty to monitor CloudTrail management events.
Why it's wrong here
GuardDuty detects threats but may not alert on deletion immediately.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse detecting deletion of log files (S3 events) with detecting deletion of the trail itself (CloudTrail API call), leading them to choose Option A instead of the correct CloudWatch-based approach.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudTrail delivers management events to CloudWatch Logs via a log group, and a metric filter uses a JSON pattern like `{ $.eventName = "DeleteTrail" }` to count occurrences. The CloudWatch alarm evaluates the metric over a period (e.g., 1 minute) and sends an SNS notification when the threshold is breached. This architecture ensures detection within minutes because CloudWatch processes log events in near real-time, and the alarm state change triggers SNS immediately.
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.
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: Configure CloudTrail to send logs to CloudWatch Logs, create a metric filter for DeleteTrail events, and set a CloudWatch alarm to send an SNS notification. — Option B is correct because CloudTrail management events (including DeleteTrail) are delivered to CloudWatch Logs, where a metric filter can match the exact event name. A CloudWatch alarm on that metric triggers an SNS notification within minutes, meeting the detection and alerting requirement. This approach directly monitors the CloudTrail API call that deletes the trail itself, not just the log files.
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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