- A
Amazon CloudWatch Metrics for the instance
Why wrong: Metrics are aggregated and do not provide detailed logs for incident investigation.
- B
OS-level authentication and system logs
OS logs (e.g., /var/log/auth.log) show login attempts, sudo commands, and other activities that can pinpoint the attack vector.
- C
AWS CloudTrail logs
CloudTrail logs API calls to EC2, such as RunInstances, which can reveal the user and IP that launched the instance.
- D
AWS Config configuration history
Why wrong: Config tracks resource configuration changes, not the initial attack vector.
- E
VPC Flow Logs
Why wrong: Flow logs show network traffic but do not indicate whether traffic was malicious.
Question 1,348 of 1,748
SCS-C02 Threat Detection and Incident Response Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of threat detection and incident response. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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 incident where an EC2 instance was compromised. The engineer has access to the following logs: CloudTrail, VPC Flow Logs, and OS-level logs from the instance. Which TWO log sources would be MOST useful to determine the initial attack vector? (Choose TWO.)
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
✓
OS-level authentication and system logs
OS-level authentication and system logs (option B) are critical because they record local login attempts, sudo commands, and process executions that can reveal how an attacker gained initial access—such as via SSH brute force, a compromised user account, or a vulnerable service. CloudTrail logs (option C) are equally important because they capture API calls made to AWS services, including RunInstances, CreateKeyPair, and ModifySecurityGroup, which can show if the attacker launched the instance from a compromised AWS account or modified security groups to allow inbound traffic. Together, these two sources provide the evidence needed to trace the initial compromise vector, whether it originated from within the OS or through AWS API manipulation.
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.
- ✗
Amazon CloudWatch Metrics for the instance
Why it's wrong here
Metrics are aggregated and do not provide detailed logs for incident investigation.
- ✓
OS-level authentication and system logs
Why this is correct
OS logs (e.g., /var/log/auth.log) show login attempts, sudo commands, and other activities that can pinpoint the attack vector.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
AWS CloudTrail logs
Why this is correct
CloudTrail logs API calls to EC2, such as RunInstances, which can reveal the user and IP that launched the instance.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
AWS Config configuration history
Why it's wrong here
Config tracks resource configuration changes, not the initial attack vector.
- ✗
VPC Flow Logs
Why it's wrong here
Flow logs show network traffic but do not indicate whether traffic was malicious.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often pick VPC Flow Logs (option E) thinking network traffic will show the attack vector, but flow logs only show metadata like IP addresses and ports, not the authentication success or API calls that actually prove how the attacker got in.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Flow logs show network traffic but do not indicate whether traffic was malicious.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, OS-level logs (e.g., /var/log/auth.log on Linux, Security Event Log on Windows) contain PAM (Pluggable Authentication Modules) events, SSH session keys, and sudo audit trails, while CloudTrail logs capture IAM user ARNs, source IP addresses, and user-agent strings for every AWS API call. A real-world scenario: an attacker might use a stolen IAM key to call RunInstances with a user-data script that creates a local user, then SSH in—CloudTrail shows the API call and the OS logs show the local login, together revealing the full kill chain. The subtle behavior is that CloudTrail can also log console logins (via the ConsoleLogin event), which is often overlooked but can be the initial vector if the attacker used a compromised IAM user password.
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
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
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: OS-level authentication and system logs — OS-level authentication and system logs (option B) are critical because they record local login attempts, sudo commands, and process executions that can reveal how an attacker gained initial access—such as via SSH brute force, a compromised user account, or a vulnerable service. CloudTrail logs (option C) are equally important because they capture API calls made to AWS services, including RunInstances, CreateKeyPair, and ModifySecurityGroup, which can show if the attacker launched the instance from a compromised AWS account or modified security groups to allow inbound traffic. Together, these two sources provide the evidence needed to trace the initial compromise vector, whether it originated from within the OS or through AWS API manipulation.
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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