Quick Answer
The correct answer is AWS CloudTrail with CloudWatch Alarms because CloudTrail captures every KMS API call as an event, including unauthorized decryption attempts, and CloudWatch Alarms can be configured to trigger on specific CloudTrail log entries using metric filters. This pairing allows you to monitor unauthorized KMS API calls in real time by creating a filter for KMS `Decrypt` or `GenerateDataKey` calls that return an `AccessDenied` error, then setting an alarm on that metric. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of logging and monitoring boundaries: GuardDuty is a common distractor because it detects threats like credential misuse, but it does not log individual API calls, while Config and Inspector address entirely different domains of resource compliance and vulnerability scanning. A useful memory tip is to think of CloudTrail as the “recording secretary” for every API action, and CloudWatch Alarms as the “bouncer” that shouts when a specific unauthorized action occurs.
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of data protection. 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 company uses AWS KMS to encrypt data in Amazon S3. The security team receives an alert that an IAM user is attempting to decrypt data using a key that they do not have access to. Which AWS service can be used to monitor and alert on such unauthorized KMS API calls?
Amazon GuardDuty
Why wrong: GuardDuty does not monitor specific KMS API calls.
AWS Config
Why wrong: Config monitors resource changes, not API calls.
AWS CloudTrail with CloudWatch Alarms
CloudTrail logs KMS actions; alarms can be set on specific events.
Amazon Inspector
Why wrong: Inspector is for security assessments.
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 with CloudWatch Alarms
Option B is correct because CloudTrail logs all KMS API calls, and CloudWatch Alarms can trigger alerts on specific events. Option A is wrong because GuardDuty focuses on threat detection, not specific API calls. Option C is wrong because Config monitors resource configurations, not API calls. Option D is wrong because Inspector is for vulnerability assessment.
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.
Amazon GuardDuty
Why it's wrong here
GuardDuty does not monitor specific KMS API calls.
AWS Config
Why it's wrong here
Config monitors resource changes, not API calls.
AWS CloudTrail with CloudWatch Alarms
Why this is correct
CloudTrail logs KMS actions; alarms can be set on specific events.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Amazon Inspector
Why it's wrong here
Inspector is for security assessments.
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.
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 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
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.
Data Protection — study guide chapter
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Data Protection practice questions
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FAQ
Data Protection — This question tests Data Protection — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: AWS CloudTrail with CloudWatch Alarms — Option B is correct because CloudTrail logs all KMS API calls, and CloudWatch Alarms can trigger alerts on specific events. Option A is wrong because GuardDuty focuses on threat detection, not specific API calls. Option C is wrong because Config monitors resource configurations, not API calls. Option D is wrong because Inspector is for vulnerability assessment.
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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