- A
Configure the CloudTrail trail to deliver logs directly to an SNS topic.
Why wrong: CloudTrail cannot deliver to SNS directly; it delivers to S3 or CloudWatch Logs.
- B
Configure the Lambda function to publish a custom metric to CloudWatch.
Publishing a custom metric allows setting an alarm on the count of access key creations.
- C
Set a CloudWatch alarm on the custom metric to send an Amazon SNS notification when the metric exceeds a threshold.
The alarm triggers an SNS notification to alert the security team.
- D
Create a CloudWatch Logs subscription filter that sends matching log events to an AWS Lambda function.
The subscription filter can match 'CreateAccessKey' events and invoke Lambda to process them.
- E
Create an Amazon EventBridge rule that matches the CreateAccessKey event and triggers an SNS notification.
Why wrong: This is a valid approach but is not one of the three steps required when using CloudTrail logs via CloudWatch Logs.
Quick Answer
The correct answer involves three steps: creating a CloudWatch Logs subscription filter that sends matching log events to an AWS Lambda function, having that Lambda function publish a custom metric to CloudWatch, and then setting a CloudWatch alarm on that metric. This approach works because CloudTrail logs all API activity in JSON format, so a subscription filter can precisely match the `CreateAccessKey` event name and route only those events to Lambda for processing, avoiding noise. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to chain CloudWatch Logs subscription filters with Lambda for custom metric generation, rather than relying solely on Amazon EventBridge, which can match events directly but doesn't produce the metric needed for an alarm. A common trap is choosing Amazon SNS alone, but SNS lacks filtering logic and would receive all CloudTrail events. Memory tip: think "Filter, Function, Metric, Alarm" — the four-step pipeline where the subscription filter is the gatekeeper.
SOA-C02 Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring, logging, and remediation. 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 company uses AWS CloudTrail to log API activity. The security team wants to be alerted when an IAM user creates a new access key. Which THREE steps should the SysOps administrator take to meet this requirement?
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
Configure the Lambda function to publish a custom metric to CloudWatch.
Options A, B, and D are correct. CloudTrail logs events in JSON, so a CloudWatch Logs subscription filter can be used to match the event name 'CreateAccessKey' and send matching events to Lambda for processing. The Lambda function can then publish a custom metric to CloudWatch, and a CloudWatch alarm can be set on that metric. Option C is wrong because EventBridge can directly match events without needing a CloudWatch Logs subscription; but the scenario asks for three steps, and using EventBridge alone is simpler but does not include the metric/alarm path. Option E is wrong because SNS can send notifications but does not provide filtering logic; it would receive all events.
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
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Configure the CloudTrail trail to deliver logs directly to an SNS topic.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail cannot deliver to SNS directly; it delivers to S3 or CloudWatch Logs.
- ✓
Configure the Lambda function to publish a custom metric to CloudWatch.
- ✓
Set a CloudWatch alarm on the custom metric to send an Amazon SNS notification when the metric exceeds a threshold.
Why this is correct
The alarm triggers an SNS notification to alert the security team.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✓
Create a CloudWatch Logs subscription filter that sends matching log events to an AWS Lambda function.
Why this is correct
The subscription filter can match 'CreateAccessKey' events and invoke Lambda to process them.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✗
Create an Amazon EventBridge rule that matches the CreateAccessKey event and triggers an SNS notification.
Why it's wrong here
This is a valid approach but is not one of the three steps required when using CloudTrail logs via CloudWatch Logs.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
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
How to think about this question
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.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
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
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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.
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Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SOA-C02 question test?
Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation — This question tests Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure the Lambda function to publish a custom metric to CloudWatch. — Options A, B, and D are correct. CloudTrail logs events in JSON, so a CloudWatch Logs subscription filter can be used to match the event name 'CreateAccessKey' and send matching events to Lambda for processing. The Lambda function can then publish a custom metric to CloudWatch, and a CloudWatch alarm can be set on that metric. Option C is wrong because EventBridge can directly match events without needing a CloudWatch Logs subscription; but the scenario asks for three steps, and using EventBridge alone is simpler but does not include the metric/alarm path. Option E is wrong because SNS can send notifications but does not provide filtering logic; it would receive all events.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
About these practice questions
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Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on SOA-C02
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company uses AWS CloudTrail to log API activity. The security team needs to be notified immediately when an IAM user creates a new access key. Which combination of steps should a SysOps administrator take? (Choose TWO.)
hard- ✓ A.Create a CloudWatch Logs metric filter for the 'CreateAccessKey' event.
- B.Enable AWS Config rules to detect changes to IAM users.
- C.Configure CloudTrail to send notifications directly to Amazon SNS.
- ✓ D.Create a CloudWatch alarm based on the metric filter and publish to an SNS topic.
- E.Create an Amazon EventBridge rule to match the 'CreateAccessKey' API call.
Why A: Option A is correct because CloudWatch Logs metric filters allow you to extract specific patterns from CloudTrail log data, such as the 'CreateAccessKey' event, and convert them into a metric. This enables you to monitor for this specific API call and trigger an alarm when it occurs, meeting the requirement for immediate notification.
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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