How to Preserve Forensic Evidence from a Compromised EC2 Instance
Which THREE actions should be taken when preserving forensic evidence from an EC2 instance during an incident? (Select THREE.)
Quick Answer
The answer is to create an EBS snapshot of the compromised EC2 instance, detach the instance from the network by modifying its security group, and then stop the instance to prevent further modification. These three actions are correct because they preserve the exact state of the volume at the time of the incident, including malicious files and logs, while isolating the instance from the network to prevent data tampering or lateral movement. Stopping the instance ensures the evidence remains static for offline forensic analysis, maintaining the chain of custody as recommended by AWS. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of forensic evidence preservation in EC2, often appearing as a multi-select question where traps include rebooting the instance or taking a memory dump without isolation. A common memory tip is the “Stop, Snap, and Segregate” rule: stop the instance, snapshot the EBS volume, and segregate the network via security group changes.
⚠ Common exam trap
The SCS-C02 exam often tests the misconception that rebooting or terminating an instance is a safe containment step, but in forensic contexts these actions destroy volatile evidence and should be avoided until after memory and disk acquisition.
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
✓
Create an EBS snapshot of all volumes.
Creating an EBS snapshot preserves the exact state of the volume at the time of the incident, including any malicious files, logs, or artifacts. This snapshot can be used for offline forensic analysis without altering the original evidence. AWS recommends this as a first step in forensic acquisition to maintain chain of custody.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Reboot the instance to clear any malicious processes.
Why it's wrong here
Reboot destroys volatile evidence.
- ✓
Create an EBS snapshot of all volumes.
Why this is correct
Snapshots preserve the disk state at a point in time.
- ✗
Terminate the instance to prevent further compromise.
Why it's wrong here
Termination destroys forensic data.
- ✓
Capture a memory dump using a tool like LiME.
Why this is correct
Memory dump captures volatile data like running processes.
- ✓
Detach the instance from the network by modifying the security group.
Why this is correct
Isolation prevents the attacker from tampering with evidence.
Go deeper
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on SCS-C02
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. Which TWO steps are part of the forensic acquisition process for an EC2 instance suspected of being compromised?
hard- A.Stop the instance immediately to prevent further damage.
- B.Enable termination protection on the instance.
- C.Terminate the instance to ensure the threat is contained.
- ✓ D.Capture the instance's memory using a forensic tool.
- ✓ E.Create a snapshot of the root EBS volume.
Why D: Capturing the instance's memory using a forensic tool (such as LiME or F-Response) preserves volatile data—including running processes, network connections, and encryption keys—that would be lost if the instance were stopped or terminated. This is a critical step in the forensic acquisition process to gather evidence of compromise without altering the system state.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.