- A
Enable VPC Flow Logs and correlate with CloudTrail logs.
Why wrong: VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic but not IAM API calls.
- B
Update the existing trail to log data events for IAM.
IAM data events include API calls like GetUser, ListAccessKeys, etc., which are needed for investigation.
- C
Create a new trail that logs data events for S3 and configure it to deliver to a separate S3 bucket.
Why wrong: The issue is with IAM calls, not S3.
- D
Enable CloudTrail Insights to detect unusual activity for the user.
Why wrong: Insights detects anomalous activity but does not add more event types; it works on existing trails.
Question 797 of 1,748
SCS-C02 Security Logging and Monitoring Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security logging and monitoring. 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.
A security engineer is investigating a potential compromise. They notice that an IAM user 'svc-backup' has been making unusual API calls from an IP address outside the company's VPC. The engineer wants to ensure all future API calls from this user are logged with full event details. However, the current CloudTrail trail is set to log only management events. What should the engineer do to capture the required details?
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
✓
Update the existing trail to log data events for IAM.
Option B is correct because CloudTrail trails configured to log only management events do not capture IAM user activity such as API calls made by the user. By updating the existing trail to log data events for IAM, the engineer ensures that all future API calls from 'svc-backup' are logged with full event details, including the source IP address and request parameters. This directly addresses the requirement without creating unnecessary additional trails or services.
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 VPC Flow Logs and correlate with CloudTrail logs.
Why it's wrong here
VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic but not IAM API calls.
- ✓
Update the existing trail to log data events for IAM.
Why this is correct
IAM data events include API calls like GetUser, ListAccessKeys, etc., which are needed for investigation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create a new trail that logs data events for S3 and configure it to deliver to a separate S3 bucket.
Why it's wrong here
The issue is with IAM calls, not S3.
- ✗
Enable CloudTrail Insights to detect unusual activity for the user.
Why it's wrong here
Insights detects anomalous activity but does not add more event types; it works on existing trails.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'data events' with only S3 object-level operations, forgetting that IAM also has data events that must be explicitly enabled to capture user-level API calls.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudTrail data events for IAM capture actions like CreateUser, DeleteUser, PutUserPolicy, and other IAM-specific API calls that are not included in management events. In a real-world scenario, a compromised IAM user might perform actions such as creating access keys or modifying policies, which are data events; without enabling IAM data event logging, these actions would be invisible in CloudTrail, leaving a critical gap in forensic analysis. Note that enabling data events incurs additional costs and requires careful scoping to avoid excessive logging volume.
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.
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Security Logging and Monitoring — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Security Logging and Monitoring — This question tests Security Logging and Monitoring — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Update the existing trail to log data events for IAM. — Option B is correct because CloudTrail trails configured to log only management events do not capture IAM user activity such as API calls made by the user. By updating the existing trail to log data events for IAM, the engineer ensures that all future API calls from 'svc-backup' are logged with full event details, including the source IP address and request parameters. This directly addresses the requirement without creating unnecessary additional trails or services.
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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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