- A
Assign the patch baseline to the instances by specifying a patch group.
Patch groups control which baseline is applied to which instances.
- B
Tag all instances with 'PatchGroup=Critical' to include them in the patching.
Why wrong: Tagging is not required; patch groups are defined via instance tags, but the action is assigning the baseline to the group.
- C
Create a custom patch baseline that includes the required patch.
A custom baseline ensures the specific patch is approved.
- D
Use the AWS-provided default patch baseline for Windows.
Why wrong: The default baseline may not include the critical patch if it is not yet approved.
- E
Use SSM Run Command to execute a script that downloads and installs the patch.
Why wrong: While possible, Patch Manager is the intended tool for patching, not Run Command.
Quick Answer
The answer is to create a custom patch baseline and assign it to a patch group. This is correct because Patch Manager uses patch groups as the mechanism to associate a specific set of instances with a particular patch baseline, giving you granular control over which Windows instances receive the critical patch during an incident. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to isolate patching operations using patch groups rather than relying on the default baseline, which would apply to all managed instances. A common trap is thinking you can simply scan and approve patches on the fly, but Patch Manager requires a baseline assignment to enforce which patches are installed. Memory tip: think of a patch group as a “targeting label” — you assign the custom baseline to the group, and only instances in that group get the critical fix.
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.
A company uses AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager to patch EC2 instances. During a security incident, the security team needs to quickly patch a critical vulnerability across all Windows instances in a specific AWS region. Which steps should the team take? (Choose TWO.)
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
Assign the patch baseline to the instances by specifying a patch group.
Option A is correct because assigning a custom patch baseline to instances via a patch group allows the security team to target specific Windows instances for patching. Patch Manager uses patch groups to associate instances with a specific patch baseline, ensuring only the desired instances receive the critical patch. This approach provides granular control over which instances are patched during an incident.
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.
- ✓
Assign the patch baseline to the instances by specifying a patch group.
Why this is correct
Patch groups control which baseline is applied to which instances.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Tag all instances with 'PatchGroup=Critical' to include them in the patching.
Why it's wrong here
Tagging is not required; patch groups are defined via instance tags, but the action is assigning the baseline to the group.
- ✓
Create a custom patch baseline that includes the required patch.
Why this is correct
A custom baseline ensures the specific patch is approved.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use the AWS-provided default patch baseline for Windows.
Why it's wrong here
The default baseline may not include the critical patch if it is not yet approved.
- ✗
Use SSM Run Command to execute a script that downloads and installs the patch.
Why it's wrong here
While possible, Patch Manager is the intended tool for patching, not Run Command.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse tagging instances with a patch group (which is necessary for association) with the actual patching action, or they assume the default patch baseline will automatically include all critical patches, when in fact custom baselines are required for targeted incident response.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
While possible, Patch Manager is the intended tool for patching, not Run Command.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Patch Manager uses the `Patch Group` tag to map instances to a custom patch baseline; when you run a patching operation, it scans the instance's patch group and applies the associated baseline's approval rules. Under the hood, Patch Manager leverages the SSM Agent and Windows Update API to evaluate and install patches, and the patch baseline defines which patches are approved based on classification, severity, and product criteria. In a real-world scenario, a security team might create a custom baseline that approves only the specific CVE-related patch, then assign it to a patch group like 'Critical-Win' to avoid patching non-critical instances and reduce blast radius.
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.
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Threat Detection and Incident Response — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
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: Assign the patch baseline to the instances by specifying a patch group. — Option A is correct because assigning a custom patch baseline to instances via a patch group allows the security team to target specific Windows instances for patching. Patch Manager uses patch groups to associate instances with a specific patch baseline, ensuring only the desired instances receive the critical patch. This approach provides granular control over which instances are patched during an incident.
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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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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