The answer is to use AWS Systems Manager Run Command to execute a memory capture utility. This approach is correct because it leverages the SSM Agent already installed on the EC2 instance to remotely run a tool like WinPmem or LiME, collecting volatile memory data—such as running processes, network connections, and kernel structures—without stopping or rebooting the critical system. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of incident response procedures that prioritize system availability while preserving forensic evidence. A common trap is assuming you must stop the instance or use a snapshot, but those destroy volatile data; instead, live memory acquisition via SSM Run Command is the only method that captures RAM contents without disrupting operations. Remember the mnemonic: “SSM saves state without shutdown.”
SCS-C02 Threat Detection and Incident Response Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of threat detection and incident response. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
During an incident response, a security engineer needs to collect volatile memory from a compromised EC2 instance without affecting the running system. The instance is critical and cannot be stopped. Which approach is most appropriate?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use AWS Systems Manager Run Command to execute a memory capture utility.
Option D is correct because AWS Systems Manager Run Command allows you to execute a memory capture utility (such as WinPmem or LiME) on the EC2 instance without stopping it, preserving volatile memory for forensic analysis. This approach uses the SSM Agent to run commands remotely, minimizing impact on the running system while collecting critical evidence like running processes, network connections, and kernel data.
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.
✗
Stop the instance, detach the root volume, and attach it to a forensics instance for analysis.
Why it's wrong here
Stopping loses volatile memory and may alert the attacker.
✗
Use AWS License Manager to create a snapshot of the instance memory.
Why it's wrong here
License Manager does not capture memory.
✗
Use Amazon EC2 Rescue to collect memory dump.
Why it's wrong here
EC2 Rescue is for OS troubleshooting, not memory capture.
✓
Use AWS Systems Manager Run Command to execute a memory capture utility.
Why this is correct
Run Command can execute scripts without stopping the instance.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think stopping the instance (Option A) is safe for forensics, but they forget that volatile memory is lost on shutdown, making it useless for memory analysis.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Memory acquisition from a running instance requires a tool that interacts with the operating system’s memory management subsystem (e.g., /dev/mem or /proc/kcore on Linux, or a kernel driver on Windows). AWS Systems Manager Run Command can invoke such tools via a script or SSM document, ensuring the capture occurs while the instance remains powered on. In a real-world scenario, the security engineer would use a pre-approved SSM document that runs a memory capture utility, then uploads the dump to S3 for analysis, all without stopping the instance.
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 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
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 Systems Manager Run Command to execute a memory capture utility. — Option D is correct because AWS Systems Manager Run Command allows you to execute a memory capture utility (such as WinPmem or LiME) on the EC2 instance without stopping it, preserving volatile memory for forensic analysis. This approach uses the SSM Agent to run commands remotely, minimizing impact on the running system while collecting critical evidence like running processes, network connections, and kernel data.
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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These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. During an incident response, a security engineer needs to collect volatile data from an EC2 instance running Linux. The instance is in a private subnet with no direct internet access. The engineer has IAM permissions to use AWS Systems Manager Session Manager. Which command should the engineer use to capture memory and process information?
Why D: Option D is correct because AWS Systems Manager Session Manager with the AWS-StartInteractiveCommand document allows the security engineer to establish an interactive shell session to the EC2 instance without requiring direct internet access, SSH keys, or a bastion host. From this interactive session, the engineer can run native Linux commands like 'cat /proc/meminfo' or 'ps aux' to capture volatile memory and process information directly, which is the appropriate method for collecting volatile data during incident response.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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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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