- A
AWS Config
Why wrong: Config tracks resource changes but not real-time API calls.
- B
AWS CloudTrail
CloudTrail logs all API calls, including those that return AccessDenied errors.
- C
Amazon GuardDuty
GuardDuty analyzes CloudTrail events and can generate findings for unauthorized activity.
- D
AWS Trusted Advisor
Why wrong: Trusted Advisor provides best-practice checks, not real-time alerting.
- E
Amazon Inspector
Why wrong: Inspector is for vulnerability assessment, not API monitoring.
Question 1,501 of 1,748
SCS-C02 Security Logging and Monitoring Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security logging and monitoring. 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 wants to monitor unauthorized API calls in their AWS account. Which TWO AWS services can provide real-time alerting on such events?
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
✓
AWS CloudTrail
AWS CloudTrail is the correct service because it records all API calls made to the AWS environment, including unauthorized ones (e.g., AccessDenied errors). By configuring CloudTrail to deliver logs to Amazon CloudWatch Logs and setting up a metric filter with an alarm, you can receive real-time alerts when unauthorized API calls occur. This directly meets the requirement for monitoring and alerting on such events.
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.
- ✗
AWS Config
Why it's wrong here
Config tracks resource changes but not real-time API calls.
- ✓
AWS CloudTrail
Why this is correct
CloudTrail logs all API calls, including those that return AccessDenied errors.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Amazon GuardDuty
Why this is correct
GuardDuty analyzes CloudTrail events and can generate findings for unauthorized activity.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
AWS Trusted Advisor
Why it's wrong here
Trusted Advisor provides best-practice checks, not real-time alerting.
- ✗
Amazon Inspector
Why it's wrong here
Inspector is for vulnerability assessment, not API monitoring.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Candidates often assume that only CloudTrail can monitor unauthorized API calls because it logs all API events, overlooking GuardDuty's ability to detect suspicious API activity through anomaly detection and threat intelligence. Both services can provide real-time alerting on unauthorized API calls, but via different mechanisms: CloudTrail via CloudWatch alarms on specific API error codes, and GuardDuty via findings based on unusual API patterns.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudTrail logs include the `userIdentity`, `eventTime`, and `errorCode` fields; filtering for `errorCode` values like 'AccessDenied' or 'UnauthorizedOperation' allows precise detection of unauthorized API calls. When integrated with CloudWatch Logs, you can create a metric filter that matches these error codes and trigger an SNS notification via a CloudWatch Alarm, enabling near-real-time alerting (typically within minutes). This setup is critical for security incident response, as it can detect brute-force attempts or misconfigured IAM policies immediately.
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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Security Logging and Monitoring — study guide chapter
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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: AWS CloudTrail — AWS CloudTrail is the correct service because it records all API calls made to the AWS environment, including unauthorized ones (e.g., AccessDenied errors). By configuring CloudTrail to deliver logs to Amazon CloudWatch Logs and setting up a metric filter with an alarm, you can receive real-time alerts when unauthorized API calls occur. This directly meets the requirement for monitoring and alerting on such events.
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 24, 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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