hardMultiple Choice
AIF-C01 Practice Question: During a security review, it is found that an…
During a security review, it is found that an Amazon SageMaker notebook instance has outbound internet access, which could lead to data exfiltration. The notebook must only access resources within the VPC. Which step should be taken to restrict internet access?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse network-level controls (security groups, VPC routing) with IAM permissions, thinking that denying S3 access prevents all exfiltration, or they may incorrectly assume that disabling encryption or blocking all outbound traffic is the correct approach.
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 notebook instance in a VPC with no internet gateway or NAT device, and set the notebook's 'Direct Internet Access' option to 'Disabled'
Disabling 'Direct Internet Access' on a SageMaker notebook instance and placing it in a VPC without an internet gateway or NAT device ensures the notebook cannot reach the public internet. This configuration forces all traffic to stay within the VPC, preventing data exfiltration via outbound internet connections while still allowing access to VPC resources.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Modify the notebook instance's IAM role to deny s3:GetObject
Why it's wrong here
An IAM policy denying s3:GetObject restricts one API action, leaving the notebook's route to the internet gateway intact, so exfiltration to any other endpoint continues. It is tempting because IAM roles govern SageMaker permissions, and this would be correct for blocking access to a specific S3 bucket.
- ✗
Attach a security group that denies all outbound traffic to 0.0.0.0/0
Why it's wrong here
Security groups are allow-only; a deny rule for 0.0.0.0/0 is silently ineffective, and outbound traffic still flows through the internet gateway. It is tempting because security groups do control instance-level traffic, and they would be correct for permitting specific inbound ports to the notebook.
- ✓
Configure the notebook instance in a VPC with no internet gateway or NAT device, and set the notebook's 'Direct Internet Access' option to 'Disabled'
Why this is correct
Placing the notebook in a VPC subnet with no internet gateway or NAT device removes any route to the internet, and disabling Direct Internet Access prevents SageMaker from provisioning its own connectivity, confining traffic to VPC resources.
- ✗
Disable the SageMaker notebook instance's root volume encryption
Why it's wrong here
Root volume encryption protects data at rest on the attached EBS volume; it has no effect on the notebook's outbound network path, so internet access remains. It is tempting because encryption is a security control, and it would be the right choice when the requirement is protecting stored data rather than restricting traffic.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This AIF-C01 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 AIF-C01 exam.