This CCSP practice question tests your understanding of cloud platform and infrastructure security. 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 is using AWS CloudTrail to log API calls. A security analyst needs to be alerted when an IAM user creates a new access key for another user. Which CloudTrail event should be monitored?
CreateAccessKey
CreateAccessKey is the correct API event for creating access keys.
DeleteAccessKey
Why wrong: DeleteAccessKey removes an access key, the opposite of creation.
CreateUser
Why wrong: CreateUser creates a new IAM user, not an access key.
UpdateAccessKey
Why wrong: UpdateAccessKey modifies an existing key, not creates a new one.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
CreateAccessKey
The correct event to monitor is 'CreateAccessKey' because this is the CloudTrail event name generated when an IAM user creates a new access key for another user. AWS CloudTrail logs all IAM API calls, and the event name directly corresponds to the API action invoked (CreateAccessKey). Monitoring this event allows the security analyst to detect unauthorized creation of access keys, which is a common privilege escalation or persistence technique.
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.
CreateAccessKey
Why this is correct
CreateAccessKey is the correct API event for creating access keys.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
DeleteAccessKey
Why it's wrong here
DeleteAccessKey removes an access key, the opposite of creation.
CreateUser
Why it's wrong here
CreateUser creates a new IAM user, not an access key.
UpdateAccessKey
Why it's wrong here
UpdateAccessKey modifies an existing key, not creates a new one.
Common exam traps
ISC2 often tests the distinction between API actions that create versus modify versus delete resources, and the trap here is confusing 'CreateAccessKey' with 'UpdateAccessKey' because both involve access keys, but only 'CreateAccessKey' generates a new credential.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, CloudTrail captures the 'eventName' field from the AWS IAM API call, which maps directly to the AWS SDK or CLI command (e.g., 'aws iam create-access-key'). A real-world scenario is an attacker who compromises an IAM user and creates an access key for a privileged user to maintain persistent access; monitoring 'CreateAccessKey' with a source IP or user identity filter can detect this lateral movement. Note that CloudTrail logs the 'requestParameters' including the 'userName' field, allowing precise identification of the target user.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security — This question tests Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: CreateAccessKey — The correct event to monitor is 'CreateAccessKey' because this is the CloudTrail event name generated when an IAM user creates a new access key for another user. AWS CloudTrail logs all IAM API calls, and the event name directly corresponds to the API action invoked (CreateAccessKey). Monitoring this event allows the security analyst to detect unauthorized creation of access keys, which is a common privilege escalation or persistence technique.
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 30, 2026
This CCSP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CCSP exam.
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