Quick Answer
The answer is Amazon CloudWatch Events, now part of Amazon EventBridge. This is correct because CloudWatch Events can monitor AWS CloudTrail API calls in real time, and by creating a rule that matches the `CreateAccessKey` event, you can trigger an SNS notification whenever an IAM access key is created. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of event-driven monitoring and the integration between CloudTrail, CloudWatch Events, and SNS for security alerts. A common trap is to choose AWS Config, which tracks resource configuration changes but does not provide real-time API call notifications; CloudWatch Events is designed for streaming API activity. For the exam, remember that any question about receiving notifications for specific IAM actions, like access key creation, points directly to CloudWatch Events. Memory tip: think "CloudTrail feeds CloudWatch Events, which fires SNS" — or simply "Trail to Event to Alert."
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 wants to ensure that it receives notifications whenever any AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) user in the account creates a new access key. Which AWS service should be used to achieve this?
AWS Config
Why wrong: Config evaluates resource configurations, not real-time API calls.
AWS CloudTrail
Why wrong: CloudTrail logs events but does not send notifications.
AWS Trusted Advisor
Why wrong: Trusted Advisor provides best practice checks, not event-driven notifications.
Amazon CloudWatch Events
EventBridge can match CloudTrail events and trigger SNS notifications.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Amazon CloudWatch Events
Amazon CloudWatch Events (now part of Amazon EventBridge) can capture API calls from AWS CloudTrail and trigger a notification (e.g., via SNS) when an IAM user creates a new access key. By setting up a rule that matches the `CreateAccessKey` API call, the company can receive real-time alerts for this specific action.
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.
AWS Config
Why it's wrong here
Config evaluates resource configurations, not real-time API calls.
AWS CloudTrail
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail logs events but does not send notifications.
AWS Trusted Advisor
Why it's wrong here
Trusted Advisor provides best practice checks, not event-driven notifications.
Amazon CloudWatch Events
Why this is correct
EventBridge can match CloudTrail events and trigger SNS notifications.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often choose AWS CloudTrail because it logs API calls, but they overlook that CloudTrail alone cannot send notifications—it requires an event-driven service like CloudWatch Events/EventBridge to trigger alerts.
Detailed technical explanation
CloudWatch Events/EventBridge uses event patterns to filter specific API calls from CloudTrail logs; for `CreateAccessKey`, the pattern would include `"source": ["aws.iam"]` and `"detail-type": ["AWS API Call via CloudTrail"]`. This enables near-real-time notification (typically within 5 minutes) by routing the matched event to an SNS topic, which can then send emails or SMS. A subtle behavior is that the event must be enabled in CloudTrail for management events, and the IAM user must have the necessary permissions for CloudWatch Events to invoke the target.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation — This question tests Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Amazon CloudWatch Events — Amazon CloudWatch Events (now part of Amazon EventBridge) can capture API calls from AWS CloudTrail and trigger a notification (e.g., via SNS) when an IAM user creates a new access key. By setting up a rule that matches the `CreateAccessKey` API call, the company can receive real-time alerts for this specific action.
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: Jun 24, 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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