- A
Delete the bucket and recreate it.
Why wrong: Destructive, not containment.
- B
Enable MFA Delete on the bucket.
Why wrong: Does not stop existing access.
- C
Enable CloudTrail data events for the bucket to log all object-level operations.
Provides visibility for investigation.
- D
Apply a bucket policy that denies all principals access to the bucket.
Denies all access, containing the breach.
- E
Enable default encryption for the bucket.
Why wrong: Does not affect access.
Question 1,604 of 1,748
SCS-C02 Incident containment Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of threat detection and incident response. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. A key principle to apply: incident containment. 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 security engineer is designing an incident response plan for a compromised S3 bucket. Which TWO actions should be taken to contain the incident? (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
✓
Enable CloudTrail data events for the bucket to log all object-level operations.
Enabling CloudTrail data events for the S3 bucket (Option C) provides critical visibility into all object-level operations, which is essential for understanding the scope of the compromise and identifying affected objects. While primarily a detective control, this logging capability is a foundational step for effective containment—without it, the security team cannot make informed decisions about which access controls to apply or which data to isolate. Option D (denying all principals access) directly halts further unauthorized access. Together, they form a comprehensive containment strategy: first gain visibility (C), then lock down access (D). Note that logging is not a containment action in itself, but it enables containment by providing the necessary evidence to proceed safely.
Key principle: Incident containment
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Delete the bucket and recreate it.
Why it's wrong here
Destructive, not containment.
- ✗
Enable MFA Delete on the bucket.
Why it's wrong here
Does not stop existing access.
- ✓
Enable CloudTrail data events for the bucket to log all object-level operations.
Why this is correct
Provides visibility for investigation.
Related concept
Incident containment
- ✓
Apply a bucket policy that denies all principals access to the bucket.
Why this is correct
Denies all access, containing the breach.
Related concept
Incident containment
- ✗
Enable default encryption for the bucket.
Why it's wrong here
Does not affect access.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common trap is to assume that only direct blocking actions (like denying access) count as containment, but logging is a necessary proactive measure to enable informed containment. Another trap is confusing long-term preventive controls (encryption, MFA Delete) with immediate containment steps. In this scenario, the correct combination is to first enable logging to gain visibility, then apply a restrictive bucket policy to stop further malicious activity.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudTrail data events capture S3 object-level API calls at the bucket or object ARN level, and are delivered to a CloudTrail trail or event data store. In an incident response scenario, these logs are indispensable for reconstructing the timeline of events, identifying the IAM user or role used, and determining which objects were accessed. A bucket policy that denies all principals (Option D) is a direct containment action because it immediately revokes all access to the bucket, stopping any ongoing unauthorized activity, but must be applied carefully to avoid locking out legitimate responders.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Incident containment
- S3 bucket policy
- AWS CloudTrail data events
- Forensic evidence
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
Incident containment
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.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review incident containment, then practise related SCS-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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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 — Incident containment.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable CloudTrail data events for the bucket to log all object-level operations. — Enabling CloudTrail data events for the S3 bucket (Option C) provides critical visibility into all object-level operations, which is essential for understanding the scope of the compromise and identifying affected objects. While primarily a detective control, this logging capability is a foundational step for effective containment—without it, the security team cannot make informed decisions about which access controls to apply or which data to isolate. Option D (denying all principals access) directly halts further unauthorized access. Together, they form a comprehensive containment strategy: first gain visibility (C), then lock down access (D). Note that logging is not a containment action in itself, but it enables containment by providing the necessary evidence to proceed safely.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Review incident containment, then practise related SCS-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Incident containment
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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