Quick Answer
The answer is AWS CloudTrail. CloudTrail records all API calls made within your AWS account, and when an EC2 instance is launched, it logs the `RunInstances` API event along with the identity of the IAM user or role that made the call, including source IP and user agent details. This makes it the definitive service to identify who launched an EC2 instance, as it captures the principal responsible for the action. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between services that log network traffic versus those that log identity-driven API activity—a common trap is choosing VPC Flow Logs, which show IP traffic but never user identity. Remember the memory tip: "CloudTrail tracks the who, Flow Logs track the flow."
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of management and security governance. 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 data exfiltration incident. The engineer notices that an EC2 instance in a private subnet is making outbound connections to an external IP address on port 443. The VPC has a NAT gateway in a public subnet, and the route table for the private subnet directs 0.0.0.0/0 to the NAT gateway. The security group for the instance allows all outbound traffic. Which AWS service can the engineer use to determine which IAM role or user is responsible for launching the instance?
AWS Config
Why wrong: Config records resource state, not who performed an action.
VPC Flow Logs
Why wrong: Flow logs show network traffic but not the identity of the user who launched the instance.
IAM Access Analyzer
Why wrong: Access Analyzer analyzes resource policies, not API call history.
AWS CloudTrail
CloudTrail logs RunInstances API calls with user identity.
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
AWS CloudTrail logs all API calls, including RunInstances, capturing the user or role that launched the instance. Option A (VPC Flow Logs) shows IP traffic but not user identity. Option C (AWS Config) shows resource configuration but not who launched it. Option D (IAM Access Analyzer) analyzes policies.
Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
AWS Config
Why it's wrong here
Config records resource state, not who performed an action.
VPC Flow Logs
Why it's wrong here
Flow logs show network traffic but not the identity of the user who launched the instance.
IAM Access Analyzer
Why it's wrong here
Access Analyzer analyzes resource policies, not API call history.
AWS CloudTrail
Why this is correct
CloudTrail logs RunInstances API calls with user identity.
Related concept
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
Common exam traps
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Flow logs show network traffic but not the identity of the user who launched the instance.
Detailed technical explanation
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
Key takeaway
Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Real-world example
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related SCS-C02 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
Management and Security Governance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Management and Security Governance — This question tests Management and Security Governance — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
The correct answer is: AWS CloudTrail — AWS CloudTrail logs all API calls, including RunInstances, capturing the user or role that launched the instance. Option A (VPC Flow Logs) shows IP traffic but not user identity. Option C (AWS Config) shows resource configuration but not who launched it. Option D (IAM Access Analyzer) analyzes policies.
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related SCS-C02 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
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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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