The answer is to immediately rotate the compromised access keys and review AWS CloudTrail logs to investigate a potential API credential leak. This is correct because rotating the keys stops the attacker from making further API calls, while CloudTrail provides a complete audit trail of every action taken with those credentials, including resource access, source IP addresses, and timestamps. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your incident response workflow under the domain of threat detection and remediation; a common trap is to focus solely on revoking permissions or deleting the keys rather than rotating them, which preserves the original keys for forensic analysis. Remember the mnemonic “Rotate then Investigate” — stop the bleed first, then review the logs to understand the scope of the leak.
SCS-C02 Threat Detection and Incident Response Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of threat detection and incident response. 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.
Which TWO actions should a security engineer take to investigate a potential AWS API credential leak? (Choose two.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use AWS CloudTrail to review API calls made with the compromised keys.
AWS CloudTrail logs all API calls made within an AWS account, including those using compromised access keys. By reviewing these logs, a security engineer can identify the scope of the breach, such as which resources were accessed, from which IP addresses, and at what times. This is a critical first step in incident response to understand the impact and gather forensic evidence.
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.
✓
Use AWS CloudTrail to review API calls made with the compromised keys.
Why this is correct
CloudTrail logs show what actions were performed.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Change the IAM user's password.
Why it's wrong here
Passwords are not used for programmatic access.
✗
Disable all AWS services in the account.
Why it's wrong here
Overly broad and unnecessary.
✓
Immediately rotate the compromised access keys.
Why this is correct
Rotating keys invalidates the leaked credentials.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Delete the IAM user and recreate it with the same permissions.
Why it's wrong here
Deleting user loses audit trail; rotation is preferred.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'rotating the keys' with 'changing the password' (Option B), not realizing that access keys and passwords are independent credentials, and that immediate rotation (Option D) is the correct containment action alongside forensic investigation (Option A).
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudTrail logs are delivered to an S3 bucket and can be analyzed using Athena or CloudTrail Lake for efficient querying. The compromised keys can be identified by correlating the access key ID in the `userIdentity` field with the leaked key. In a real-world scenario, an attacker might use the keys to launch new EC2 instances for cryptomining, and CloudTrail logs would reveal the `RunInstances` API call with the attacker's source IP, enabling immediate containment.
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 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
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: Use AWS CloudTrail to review API calls made with the compromised keys. — AWS CloudTrail logs all API calls made within an AWS account, including those using compromised access keys. By reviewing these logs, a security engineer can identify the scope of the breach, such as which resources were accessed, from which IP addresses, and at what times. This is a critical first step in incident response to understand the impact and gather forensic evidence.
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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