The correct answer is that the resource ARN for the logs actions is missing the required log-group prefix. This is because CloudWatch Logs actions like `logs:PutLogEvents` and `logs:CreateLogGroup` operate on specific log-group resources, and the IAM policy must specify the ARN with the `log-group:` prefix before the log group name or wildcard—for example, `arn:aws:logs:us-east-1:123456789012:log-group:*`. Without this prefix, the ARN `arn:aws:logs:us-east-1:123456789012:*` does not match any valid CloudWatch Logs resource, causing the application to fail when publishing logs. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this is a common trap: candidates often remember to include the service and region but forget the resource-type qualifier like `log-group:` for logs or `metric:` for CloudWatch metrics. A quick memory tip is to think of the ARN as a file path—just as you need a folder name before a file, CloudWatch Logs requires `log-group:` before the log group name.
SOA-C02 Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring, logging, and remediation. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. A SysOps administrator created this IAM policy for an application that sends custom metrics to CloudWatch and writes logs to CloudWatch Logs. The application reports that it cannot publish logs. What is the most likely reason?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The resource ARN for the logs actions is incorrect; it should include 'log-group:' before the wildcard.
Option A is correct because the IAM policy uses `arn:aws:logs:us-east-1:123456789012:*` for the `Resource` element of the `logs:PutLogEvents` and `logs:CreateLogGroup` actions. For CloudWatch Logs, the resource ARN must include the `log-group:` prefix before the log group name or wildcard, such as `arn:aws:logs:us-east-1:123456789012:log-group:*`. Without this prefix, the ARN does not match any valid CloudWatch Logs resource, causing the application to fail when attempting to publish logs.
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.
✓
The resource ARN for the logs actions is incorrect; it should include 'log-group:' before the wildcard.
Why this is correct
Correct ARN format for log groups includes 'log-group:' prefix.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The policy requires a condition key to restrict access to specific log groups.
Why it's wrong here
Conditions are optional.
✗
The policy does not allow the cloudwatch:PutMetricData action for the specific metric.
Why it's wrong here
The action is allowed for all resources.
✗
The application must assume an IAM role to write logs.
Why it's wrong here
The application can use this policy directly if attached to its role/user.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume a wildcard resource ARN like `arn:aws:logs:region:account:*` is sufficient for CloudWatch Logs actions, but they overlook the required `log-group:` prefix in the ARN structure, leading them to incorrectly suspect missing conditions or role assumption issues.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudWatch Logs resource ARNs follow a specific format: `arn:aws:logs:region:account-id:log-group:log-group-name:log-stream:log-stream-name`. The `log-group:` prefix is mandatory for any logs action that operates on a log group or log stream. Omitting it results in an ARN that does not match any resource, causing an `AccessDeniedException` even if the action is allowed. This is a common misconfiguration when administrators copy ARN patterns from other services like S3 or EC2, which do not require such prefixes.
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 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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation — This question tests Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The resource ARN for the logs actions is incorrect; it should include 'log-group:' before the wildcard. — Option A is correct because the IAM policy uses `arn:aws:logs:us-east-1:123456789012:*` for the `Resource` element of the `logs:PutLogEvents` and `logs:CreateLogGroup` actions. For CloudWatch Logs, the resource ARN must include the `log-group:` prefix before the log group name or wildcard, such as `arn:aws:logs:us-east-1:123456789012:log-group:*`. Without this prefix, the ARN does not match any valid CloudWatch Logs resource, causing the application to fail when attempting to publish logs.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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