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.
2024-05-01T12:00:00Z us-east-1 eni-12345 10.0.1.5 10.0.2.10 443 12345 6 10 5000 1620144781 1620144782 ACCEPT OK
Refer to the exhibit. This is a line from a VPC Flow Log. A security analyst notices that the log shows an ACCEPT record for a connection from 10.0.1.5 to 10.0.2.10 on port 443. However, the analyst expected the connection to be denied. Which field in the flow log record indicates that the connection was accepted?
2024-05-01T12:00:00Z us-east-1 eni-12345 10.0.1.5 10.0.2.10 443 12345 6 10 5000 1620144781 1620144782 ACCEPT OK
The action field (ACCEPT)
The action field indicates accepted or rejected.
The version field (2)
Why wrong: Version is the flow log format version.
The protocol field (6)
Why wrong: Protocol indicates TCP.
The destination port field (443)
Why wrong: Port is the destination port.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The action field (ACCEPT)
The action field in a VPC Flow Log record explicitly indicates whether the firewall (security group or network ACL) allowed or denied the traffic. In this case, the value 'ACCEPT' confirms that the connection from 10.0.1.5 to 10.0.2.10 on port 443 was permitted, which is why the analyst sees an ACCEPT record despite expecting a denial.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
The action field (ACCEPT)
Why this is correct
The action field indicates accepted or rejected.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
The version field (2)
Why it's wrong here
Version is the flow log format version.
The protocol field (6)
Why it's wrong here
Protocol indicates TCP.
The destination port field (443)
Why it's wrong here
Port is the destination port.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may confuse the protocol or port fields with the action field, mistakenly thinking that the presence of a specific protocol (TCP) or port (443) implies acceptance, when only the action field directly records the firewall's decision.
Detailed technical explanation
VPC Flow Logs capture metadata about IP traffic, including the action field which can be 'ACCEPT' or 'REJECT' based on the evaluation of security group rules and network ACLs. Security groups are stateful and evaluated first; if a rule allows inbound traffic, the return traffic is automatically permitted, while network ACLs are stateless and require explicit rules for both directions. In a real-world scenario, an analyst might see an ACCEPT record for a connection that should be denied if a security group rule inadvertently allows the traffic or if a network ACL's default deny is overridden by a permit rule.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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.
Visual reference
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FAQ
Security Logging and Monitoring — This question tests Security Logging and Monitoring — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: The action field (ACCEPT) — The action field in a VPC Flow Log record explicitly indicates whether the firewall (security group or network ACL) allowed or denied the traffic. In this case, the value 'ACCEPT' confirms that the connection from 10.0.1.5 to 10.0.2.10 on port 443 was permitted, which is why the analyst sees an ACCEPT record despite expecting a denial.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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