Quick Answer
The answer is AWS CloudTrail, because it is the service that records all API activity in your AWS account, and the RunInstances API call includes the AMI ID used to launch an EC2 instance. When you need to find the AMI ID of an EC2 instance using CloudTrail, you simply search the CloudTrail event history for the RunInstances event and examine the request parameters, where the imageId field contains the exact AMI ID. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between logs that capture API-level details versus logs that capture network traffic or configuration states. A common trap is to choose VPC Flow Logs, which only show IP traffic and never contain instance metadata like AMI IDs, or AWS Config, which records resource compliance but not the API call that created the resource. Remember the memory tip: "CloudTrail tracks the trail of API calls, so if you need the AMI from the launch, CloudTrail is your haunt."
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 security incident and needs to determine if an EC2 instance was launched with a specific AMI ID. Which AWS log should be examined?
AWS Config timeline
Why wrong: Config timeline shows configuration changes, but not the AMI ID directly.
VPC Flow Logs
Why wrong: VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic, not instance launch details.
AWS CloudTrail
CloudTrail logs the RunInstances API call with AMI ID.
Amazon CloudWatch Logs (EC2 agent logs)
Why wrong: EC2 agent logs are application logs, not API logs.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS CloudTrail
CloudTrail logs API calls, including RunInstances, which contains the AMI ID. Option A is wrong because VPC Flow Logs do not contain instance metadata. Option B is wrong because CloudWatch Logs does not capture EC2 launch events by default. Option D is wrong because AWS Config records resource configurations but not the API call details.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
AWS Config timeline
Why it's wrong here
Config timeline shows configuration changes, but not the AMI ID directly.
VPC Flow Logs
Why it's wrong here
VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic, not instance launch details.
AWS CloudTrail
Why this is correct
CloudTrail logs the RunInstances API call with AMI ID.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Amazon CloudWatch Logs (EC2 agent logs)
Why it's wrong here
EC2 agent logs are application logs, not API logs.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Config timeline shows configuration changes, but not the AMI ID directly.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which SCS-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Security Logging and Monitoring — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Security Logging and Monitoring — This question tests Security Logging and Monitoring — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: AWS CloudTrail — CloudTrail logs API calls, including RunInstances, which contains the AMI ID. Option A is wrong because VPC Flow Logs do not contain instance metadata. Option B is wrong because CloudWatch Logs does not capture EC2 launch events by default. Option D is wrong because AWS Config records resource configurations but not the API call details.
Identify which SCS-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This SCS-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SCS-C02 exam.
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