SCS-C02 Practice Test Overview: Detailed Outline
Target Audience: This practice test is designed for individuals aiming for roles like Cloud Architects, DevOps Engineers, Cloud System Administrators, and anyone seeking AWS certification in cloud security. It's perfect if you're already comfortable with basic AWS services and want to solidify your understanding of security best practices.
Language: English
Total Number of Questions: Approximately 60 (this number may vary in actual tests). Think of it less as a rigid number and more as a benchmark for your preparedness.
I. Core Security Concepts: (Approximately 15 questions)
- A. Shared Responsibility Model: This is fundamental. We'll test your understanding of what AWS handles and what you're responsible for. Expect questions probing your knowledge of different service levels and their implications. Think of it like this: AWS provides the building, you furnish and secure your apartment within it.
- B. Identity and Access Management (IAM): A huge chunk of the exam. We cover IAM roles, policies, permissions, and best practices for secure access management. Expect scenario-based questions. For example: you'll need to identify which policy allows specific access to S3 buckets.
- C. Security Best Practices: This section focuses on general security principles. Questions will assess your understanding of the AWS Well-Architected Framework's security pillar and how it applies to real-world scenarios. Think about data encryption, logging, and vulnerability management.
II. Networking Security: (Approximately 15 questions)
- A. Virtual Private Cloud (VPC): Mastering VPCs is critical. We'll cover subnets, routing tables, network ACLs, security groups, and VPC peering. Remember that security groups act like firewalls for your EC2 instances.
- B. Transit Gateway: Expect questions on how to use Transit Gateways to connect multiple VPCs securely. This is like building a secure highway system between your different cloud networks.
- C. Network Firewall: This section focuses on enabling and managing AWS Network Firewall, including integration with other AWS services. Imagine it as a powerful, centrally managed firewall protecting your entire cloud infrastructure.
III. Data Security: (Approximately 15 questions)
- A. Data Encryption: We delve into various encryption methods, including server-side and client-side encryption using KMS (Key Management Service). Think about the different levels of encryption and when to use each.
- B. Database Security: This covers securing various database services like RDS, DynamoDB, and Aurora. For example, understanding IAM roles for database access is crucial.
- C. S3 Security: Expect questions about S3 bucket policies, access control lists (ACLs), encryption options, and lifecycle policies. Remember to always secure your S3 buckets – they’re often the first target in attacks.
IV. Compliance and Governance: (Approximately 10-15 questions)
- A. CloudTrail and CloudWatch: Understanding how to use CloudTrail for logging and monitoring, and CloudWatch for security-related metrics is vital. These are your security audit trails.
- B. Security Hub: We'll cover how to utilize Security Hub to consolidate security findings from various AWS services. Think of it as a central dashboard for all your security alerts.
- C. Compliance Standards: Questions on complying with industry regulations like PCI DSS, HIPAA, and SOC 2. Understanding these standards is crucial for many organizations.
V. Advanced Security Services: (Approximately 5 questions)
- A. GuardDuty: Expect questions on detecting malicious activity within your AWS environment using GuardDuty. It's like having a 24/7 security guard watching your cloud infrastructure.
- B. Inspector: Questions might focus on automated vulnerability assessment of your EC2 instances and containers using Inspector. It helps identify weaknesses before they become a problem.
- C. Macie: Protecting sensitive data with Macie through automated detection of sensitive data exposure in your AWS services. This protects your data from unintended exposure.
Remember: This is just an overview. The actual exam questions will vary, but a thorough understanding of these areas will give you a strong foundation for success. Good luck!
