- A
The EC2 instance is in a VPC that has a VPC endpoint for CloudTrail, but the endpoint policy denies logging.
Why wrong: VPC endpoint policies affect access to CloudTrail API, but they do not prevent CloudTrail from logging API calls made by the instance.
- B
CloudTrail is not logging read-only API calls by default; the trail must be configured to log read events.
Why wrong: CloudTrail logs all management events (read and write) by default.
- C
CloudTrail trail is not configured to log data events for EC2.
Why wrong: Missing data events would affect S3 object-level logging, not API calls from EC2 instances.
- D
The IAM role used by the EC2 instance has a permissions boundary that excludes cloudtrail:PutLogEvents.
If a permissions boundary denies cloudtrail:PutLogEvents, CloudTrail cannot deliver log files for that role's actions, resulting in missing entries.
Quick Answer
The answer is an IAM permissions boundary that excludes cloudtrail:PutLogEvents. This is correct because CloudTrail relies on the IAM role attached to the EC2 instance to deliver log data to the S3 bucket; even if the role has broad permissions to perform API calls, a permissions boundary acts as an upper limit that can explicitly deny the cloudtrail:PutLogEvents action, preventing log delivery. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how permissions boundaries interact with service-level logging—a common trap is assuming that missing CloudTrail logs are always due to the S3 bucket policy or the role’s lack of API permissions, when in fact the boundary is the silent blocker. Remember the mnemonic: “Boundary blocks the bucket write”—if logs are missing for IAM role actions, always check the role’s permissions boundary for PutLogEvents first.
SCS-C02 Security Logging and Monitoring Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security logging and monitoring. 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.
A company uses AWS CloudTrail to log all API calls. The security team notices that some expected log entries are missing for actions performed by an IAM role assumed by an EC2 instance. The instance has the required permissions. What is the MOST likely cause of the missing log entries?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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
The IAM role used by the EC2 instance has a permissions boundary that excludes cloudtrail:PutLogEvents.
Option D is correct because CloudTrail logs are delivered to an S3 bucket, and the IAM role must have permissions to write logs via `cloudtrail:PutLogEvents`. If a permissions boundary on the role explicitly denies this action, the role cannot deliver log entries to CloudTrail, even if the role has other required permissions. This explains why expected log entries are missing despite the instance having the necessary permissions to perform the API calls.
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.
- ✗
The EC2 instance is in a VPC that has a VPC endpoint for CloudTrail, but the endpoint policy denies logging.
Why it's wrong here
VPC endpoint policies affect access to CloudTrail API, but they do not prevent CloudTrail from logging API calls made by the instance.
- ✗
CloudTrail is not logging read-only API calls by default; the trail must be configured to log read events.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail logs all management events (read and write) by default.
- ✗
CloudTrail trail is not configured to log data events for EC2.
Why it's wrong here
Missing data events would affect S3 object-level logging, not API calls from EC2 instances.
- ✓
The IAM role used by the EC2 instance has a permissions boundary that excludes cloudtrail:PutLogEvents.
Why this is correct
If a permissions boundary denies cloudtrail:PutLogEvents, CloudTrail cannot deliver log files for that role's actions, resulting in missing entries.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
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 assume missing log entries are due to CloudTrail configuration (e.g., data events or read-only settings) rather than recognizing that the IAM role itself may lack the specific permission to deliver logs to CloudTrail, which is a subtle but critical requirement.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudTrail relies on the IAM role's ability to call `cloudtrail:PutLogEvents` to deliver log records to the trail's S3 bucket. Permissions boundaries act as an IAM policy that limits the maximum permissions a role can have; if the boundary denies `cloudtrail:PutLogEvents`, the role cannot write logs even if an attached policy grants it. This is a common misconfiguration when roles are created with restrictive boundaries for security, inadvertently blocking CloudTrail logging.
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.
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.
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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: The IAM role used by the EC2 instance has a permissions boundary that excludes cloudtrail:PutLogEvents. — Option D is correct because CloudTrail logs are delivered to an S3 bucket, and the IAM role must have permissions to write logs via `cloudtrail:PutLogEvents`. If a permissions boundary on the role explicitly denies this action, the role cannot deliver log entries to CloudTrail, even if the role has other required permissions. This explains why expected log entries are missing despite the instance having the necessary permissions to perform the API calls.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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