The answer is AWS Config configuration history. This is the correct choice because AWS Config continuously records changes to your security group rules, capturing the exact state of inbound and outbound rules at any point in time, including whether a specific IP address was allowed for SSH access. By querying the configuration history for the security group in question, you can pinpoint the precise rule set that was active during the incident, which is essential for verifying historical security group rules. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that AWS Config, not CloudTrail or VPC Flow Logs, provides the configuration-level record of security group rule changes; a common trap is confusing CloudTrail’s API logs with Config’s state-based history. Remember: Config captures what the rule was, CloudTrail captures who changed it. Memory tip: “Config for config, CloudTrail for calls.”
SCS-C02 Threat Detection and Incident Response Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of threat detection and incident response. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 verify whether an EC2 instance's security group allowed inbound SSH from a specific IP address at the time of the incident. Which AWS service or feature should the engineer use to obtain this historical information?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
AWS Config configuration history.
AWS Config configuration history records changes to security group rules, including the addition or removal of inbound SSH allow rules. By querying the configuration history for the specific security group, the engineer can determine the exact state of the rules at the time of the incident, including whether a specific IP address was allowed. This is the only service that provides a historical record of security group rule configurations.
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 CloudTrail event history.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail logs API calls like AuthorizeSecurityGroupIngress, but does not show the state of rules at a point in time.
✗
AWS Systems Manager Inventory.
Why it's wrong here
Inventory collects software and OS information, not security group rules.
✗
VPC Flow Logs.
Why it's wrong here
Flow logs show traffic flows, not security group rule definitions.
✓
AWS Config configuration history.
Why this is correct
AWS Config records the configuration of security groups over time, allowing you to see the rules at the time of the incident.
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 often confuse VPC Flow Logs (which show traffic) with security group configuration history, but Flow Logs only show whether traffic was permitted or denied based on the rules at that time, not the rules themselves.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
CloudTrail logs API calls like AuthorizeSecurityGroupIngress, but does not show the state of rules at a point in time.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Config continuously records configuration changes as configuration items (CIs) and stores them in a configuration history. For security groups, each CI includes the full set of inbound and outbound rules, allowing point-in-time queries via the AWS Config API or console. This is critical for incident response because security group rules can change rapidly, and CloudTrail alone cannot reconstruct the exact rule set at a given moment without correlating multiple API calls.
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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
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: AWS Config configuration history. — AWS Config configuration history records changes to security group rules, including the addition or removal of inbound SSH allow rules. By querying the configuration history for the specific security group, the engineer can determine the exact state of the rules at the time of the incident, including whether a specific IP address was allowed. This is the only service that provides a historical record of security group rule configurations.
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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