The answer is to use AWS Backup to create backup plans in each account and enable cross-account backup copy to the forensics account. This is the most efficient solution because AWS Backup natively supports cross-account EBS snapshot collection, automatically copying snapshots from multiple source accounts to a central forensics account without requiring custom scripts or manual intervention. It integrates directly with AWS Organizations, allowing you to centrally manage backup policies across all accounts, which is critical during a security incident when speed and consistency are paramount. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of AWS Backup’s cross-account copy feature versus less efficient alternatives like manual snapshot sharing or Lambda-based automation. A common trap is choosing to share snapshots individually via the console, which is slow and error-prone at scale. Memory tip: think “Backup Plans = One Plan to Rule Them All” — AWS Backup is the single pane of glass for cross-account forensics collection.
SCS-C02 Threat Detection and Incident Response Practice Question
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.
During a security incident, a security engineer needs to collect EBS snapshots of multiple EC2 instances across different accounts in AWS Organizations. The snapshots must be copied to a central forensics account. Which combination of steps is MOST efficient?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use AWS Backup to create backup plans in each account and enable cross-account backup copy to the forensics account.
AWS Backup is the most efficient solution because it natively supports cross-account backup copy, allowing you to create backup plans in each account and automatically copy EBS snapshots to a central forensics account without custom scripting or manual intervention. This integrates directly with AWS Organizations, enabling centralized management of backup policies across multiple accounts, which is ideal for incident response scenarios requiring rapid, consistent snapshot collection.
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.
✗
Use Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager (DLM) to create snapshots and copy them to the forensics account using S3 cross-region replication.
Why it's wrong here
DLM does not support cross-account copy natively.
✗
Use AWS CloudFormation StackSets to deploy a stack that creates snapshots and copies them manually.
Why it's wrong here
Not designed for snapshot management.
✗
Use AWS Systems Manager Automation to run scripts in each account that create snapshots and copy them to the forensics account via Lambda.
Why it's wrong here
More complex and less efficient.
✓
Use AWS Backup to create backup plans in each account and enable cross-account backup copy to the forensics account.
Why this is correct
Automated, centralized, and supports cross-account.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose DLM (Option A) because it is commonly used for snapshot automation, but they overlook that DLM cannot copy snapshots across accounts, which is a critical requirement for cross-account forensics.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Backup uses backup plans with lifecycle policies and cross-account copy rules that leverage AWS KMS for encryption key management across accounts. Under the hood, it creates a backup vault in the source account and copies snapshots to a destination vault in the forensics account using AWS Backup's internal replication mechanism, which handles incremental snapshots and retries automatically. In a real-world incident, this ensures that snapshots are captured quickly and consistently, even across hundreds of accounts, without the risk of script failures or permission misconfigurations.
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: Use AWS Backup to create backup plans in each account and enable cross-account backup copy to the forensics account. — AWS Backup is the most efficient solution because it natively supports cross-account backup copy, allowing you to create backup plans in each account and automatically copy EBS snapshots to a central forensics account without custom scripting or manual intervention. This integrates directly with AWS Organizations, enabling centralized management of backup policies across multiple accounts, which is ideal for incident response scenarios requiring rapid, consistent snapshot collection.
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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