- A
Amazon GuardDuty
Why wrong: GuardDuty is for threat detection, not for monitoring specific API events.
- B
AWS Config
Why wrong: AWS Config tracks resource configuration changes but does not provide real-time event-based notifications for API calls.
- C
Amazon EventBridge (CloudWatch Events)
EventBridge can filter CloudTrail events and invoke SNS topics.
- D
AWS Lambda
Why wrong: Lambda can be a target, but it is not the service that triggers the notification; EventBridge is needed to route the event.
Question 639 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 security analyst wants to receive a notification whenever a new security group is created in their AWS account. Which AWS service should they use to trigger an SNS notification based on the CloudTrail event?
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
✓
Amazon EventBridge (CloudWatch Events)
Amazon EventBridge (formerly CloudWatch Events) can monitor CloudTrail API calls in real time and trigger an SNS notification when a specific event, such as CreateSecurityGroup, occurs. By creating a rule that matches the event source and detail type, EventBridge evaluates incoming events and routes matching ones to an SNS topic, enabling the desired notification.
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.
- ✗
Amazon GuardDuty
Why it's wrong here
GuardDuty is for threat detection, not for monitoring specific API events.
- ✗
AWS Config
Why it's wrong here
AWS Config tracks resource configuration changes but does not provide real-time event-based notifications for API calls.
- ✓
Amazon EventBridge (CloudWatch Events)
Why this is correct
EventBridge can filter CloudTrail events and invoke SNS topics.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
AWS Lambda
Why it's wrong here
Lambda can be a target, but it is not the service that triggers the notification; EventBridge is needed to route the event.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse AWS Config with EventBridge, thinking Config can trigger notifications on API events, but Config only evaluates resource state changes, not real-time API calls, and requires a custom Lambda rule to react to events, whereas EventBridge natively supports CloudTrail event patterns.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, EventBridge uses event patterns with JSON matching to filter CloudTrail events; for example, a rule with `"source": ["aws.ec2"]` and `"detail-type": ["AWS API Call via CloudTrail"]` combined with `"detail.eventName": ["CreateSecurityGroup"]` ensures only the exact API call triggers the SNS topic. A subtle behavior is that EventBridge can also capture events from multiple accounts or regions via cross-account event buses, which is useful for centralized security monitoring in multi-account environments.
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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
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.
- →
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: Amazon EventBridge (CloudWatch Events) — Amazon EventBridge (formerly CloudWatch Events) can monitor CloudTrail API calls in real time and trigger an SNS notification when a specific event, such as CreateSecurityGroup, occurs. By creating a rule that matches the event source and detail type, EventBridge evaluates incoming events and routes matching ones to an SNS topic, enabling the desired notification.
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: Jul 4, 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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