Quick Answer
The answer is to detach the compromised EC2 instance from the Auto Scaling group and apply a security group that denies all traffic. This is the correct first step because it immediately isolates the instance from the network and prevents the Auto Scaling group from replacing it or interfering with forensic evidence, while preserving the instance for later investigation. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of incident response containment within an Auto Scaling group, where the common trap is to terminate the instance first—but termination destroys volatile memory and logs needed for root cause analysis. A helpful memory tip is "Detach, Deny, Don't Delete"—always isolate before considering termination to preserve evidence.
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
An administrator notices that an EC2 instance has been compromised. The instance is part of an Auto Scaling group. What should the administrator do FIRST to contain the incident?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Update the Auto Scaling group's launch configuration to use a different AMI.
Why wrong: Does not affect running instances.
Terminate the instance immediately.
Why wrong: May destroy forensic evidence.
Detach the instance from the Auto Scaling group and apply a security group that denies all traffic.
Isolates the compromised instance.
Delete the Auto Scaling group.
Why wrong: Terminates all instances.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Detach the instance from the Auto Scaling group and apply a security group that denies all traffic.
Option A is correct because detaching the instance from the ASG and applying a deny-all security group isolates it. Option B is wrong because termination may lose evidence. Option C is wrong because changing the launch configuration doesn't affect running instances. Option D is wrong because termination is not immediate containment.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Update the Auto Scaling group's launch configuration to use a different AMI.
Why it's wrong here
Does not affect running instances.
Terminate the instance immediately.
Why it's wrong here
May destroy forensic evidence.
Detach the instance from the Auto Scaling group and apply a security group that denies all traffic.
Why this is correct
Isolates the compromised instance.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
Delete the Auto Scaling group.
Why it's wrong here
Terminates all instances.
Common exam traps
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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.
What to study next
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SOA-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Security and Compliance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Security and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
The correct answer is: Detach the instance from the Auto Scaling group and apply a security group that denies all traffic. — Option A is correct because detaching the instance from the ASG and applying a deny-all security group isolates it. Option B is wrong because termination may lose evidence. Option C is wrong because changing the launch configuration doesn't affect running instances. Option D is wrong because termination is not immediate containment.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SOA-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This SOA-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 SOA-C02 exam.
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