The answer is AWS CloudTrail log file delivery and on-premises servers with the CloudWatch agent. CloudTrail is a native AWS service that records API activity, and it can be configured to deliver those log files directly into a CloudWatch Logs log group, making it a first-party, valid source. On-premises servers are also valid because the CloudWatch agent acts as a bridge, collecting system and application logs from outside AWS and forwarding them to CloudWatch Logs for centralized monitoring and alerting. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of both native AWS integrations and hybrid monitoring patterns; a common trap is assuming only AWS resources can send logs, but the agent explicitly supports on-premises sources. Remember the mnemonic “CATS” for valid sources: CloudTrail, Agent, and third-party systems via API.
SCS-C02 Security Logging and Monitoring Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security logging and monitoring. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which TWO of the following are valid sources for Amazon CloudWatch Logs? (Select TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
On-premises servers via the CloudWatch agent
On-premises servers can send logs to Amazon CloudWatch Logs by installing and configuring the CloudWatch agent. The agent collects system and application logs from the server and forwards them to CloudWatch Logs for centralized monitoring, alerting, and storage. This is a valid and common hybrid monitoring pattern.
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 RDS for MySQL logs
Why it's wrong here
RDS logs are not natively streamed to CloudWatch Logs without additional configuration.
✗
VPC Flow Logs delivered to S3
Why it's wrong here
VPC Flow Logs can be published to CloudWatch Logs, not S3 directly.
✗
Amazon S3 access logs
Why it's wrong here
S3 access logs are delivered to another S3 bucket, not CloudWatch Logs.
✓
On-premises servers via the CloudWatch agent
Why this is correct
The CloudWatch agent can send logs from on-premises to CloudWatch Logs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
AWS CloudTrail log file delivery
Why this is correct
CloudTrail can deliver logs to CloudWatch Logs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume all AWS service logs (like RDS logs, S3 access logs, or VPC Flow Logs) are automatically sent to CloudWatch Logs, when in fact many require explicit configuration or are delivered to S3 by default, requiring additional steps to ingest into CloudWatch Logs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The CloudWatch agent uses a JSON configuration file to specify log file paths, log group names, and timestamp formats. It supports both Linux and Windows servers and can also collect metrics. For CloudTrail, the integration works by having CloudTrail deliver log events to a CloudWatch Logs log group, where you can then create metric filters and alarms based on specific API calls or patterns.
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 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.
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 — 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: On-premises servers via the CloudWatch agent — On-premises servers can send logs to Amazon CloudWatch Logs by installing and configuring the CloudWatch agent. The agent collects system and application logs from the server and forwards them to CloudWatch Logs for centralized monitoring, alerting, and storage. This is a valid and common hybrid monitoring pattern.
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.
About these practice questions
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Variation 1. Which TWO AWS services provide native integration with Amazon CloudWatch Logs for real-time monitoring of application logs? (Choose TWO.)
easy
A.Amazon S3
B.Amazon Route 53
✓ C.Amazon EC2
✓ D.AWS Lambda
E.AWS CloudTrail
Why C: Amazon EC2 is correct because it can be configured to send application logs to CloudWatch Logs via the CloudWatch Logs agent or unified CloudWatch agent, enabling real-time monitoring, search, and alerting on log data. AWS Lambda is correct because it natively integrates with CloudWatch Logs: every Lambda function execution automatically streams its logs to a CloudWatch Logs group, providing real-time visibility into function output and errors.
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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.
Question Discussion
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