- A
Create a flow log and use a subscription filter in CloudWatch Logs to include only records with 'ACCEPT'.
CloudWatch Logs subscription filter can be used to filter flow log records based on the 'action' field.
- B
Configure the security group to log only accepted traffic.
Why wrong: Security groups do not log traffic; they only allow or deny.
- C
Use the default flow log format and filter at the S3 bucket using S3 Select.
Why wrong: S3 Select is for querying, not real-time filtering of flow logs.
- D
Create a flow log with a custom format that includes the 'action' field, and filter for 'ACCEPT'.
Why wrong: Custom format does not filter; you need to filter at the destination.
Question 829 of 1,748
SCS-C02 Security Logging and Monitoring Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security logging and monitoring. 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.
A DevOps engineer is configuring VPC Flow Logs for a subnet that contains a public-facing Application Load Balancer (ALB). The engineer wants to capture only accepted traffic for security analysis. What should the engineer do?
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
✓
Create a flow log and use a subscription filter in CloudWatch Logs to include only records with 'ACCEPT'.
Option A is correct because VPC Flow Logs do not natively filter traffic by accept/reject status at creation time. By sending all flow log records to CloudWatch Logs and applying a subscription filter for 'ACCEPT', the engineer can selectively forward only accepted traffic records to a downstream destination for analysis. This approach leverages CloudWatch Logs' filter pattern syntax to match the 'ACCEPT' string in the flow log record's action field.
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.
- ✓
Create a flow log and use a subscription filter in CloudWatch Logs to include only records with 'ACCEPT'.
Why this is correct
CloudWatch Logs subscription filter can be used to filter flow log records based on the 'action' field.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure the security group to log only accepted traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Security groups do not log traffic; they only allow or deny.
- ✗
Use the default flow log format and filter at the S3 bucket using S3 Select.
Why it's wrong here
S3 Select is for querying, not real-time filtering of flow logs.
- ✗
Create a flow log with a custom format that includes the 'action' field, and filter for 'ACCEPT'.
Why it's wrong here
Custom format does not filter; you need to filter at the destination.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume VPC Flow Logs can filter traffic by action at creation time (like a security group rule), but in reality, filtering must be applied after log generation using CloudWatch Logs subscription filters or other post-processing tools.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
VPC Flow Logs capture metadata about IP traffic, including the 'action' field (ACCEPT or REJECT), but the flow log itself cannot be configured to log only accepted traffic. CloudWatch Logs subscription filters use pattern matching on the log event text; for flow logs, the action field appears as the last field in the default format (e.g., '2 123456789010 eni-xxx 10.0.0.1 10.0.0.2 443 80 6 10 1000 1620000000 1620000010 ACCEPT OK'). A filter pattern like '{ $.action = "ACCEPT" }' works only if the logs are in JSON format, but VPC Flow Logs are delivered as space-delimited text, so a simple string filter for 'ACCEPT' is used instead. In real-world scenarios, this approach helps reduce storage costs and downstream processing load by discarding rejected traffic records early.
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.
Visual reference
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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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: Create a flow log and use a subscription filter in CloudWatch Logs to include only records with 'ACCEPT'. — Option A is correct because VPC Flow Logs do not natively filter traffic by accept/reject status at creation time. By sending all flow log records to CloudWatch Logs and applying a subscription filter for 'ACCEPT', the engineer can selectively forward only accepted traffic records to a downstream destination for analysis. This approach leverages CloudWatch Logs' filter pattern syntax to match the 'ACCEPT' string in the flow log record's action field.
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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