- A
AWS WAF
AWS WAF is a web application firewall that protects against common web exploits like SQL injection and XSS. It integrates directly with ALB and allows custom rules to be defined.
- B
AWS Shield Advanced
Why wrong: AWS Shield Advanced provides enhanced DDoS protection at the network and transport layers, but it does not inspect application-layer payloads for SQL injection or XSS.
- C
Security Groups
Why wrong: Security Groups act as virtual firewalls for EC2 instances, controlling inbound and outbound traffic based on IP addresses, ports, and protocols. They do not perform application-layer inspection.
- D
AWS Firewall Manager
Why wrong: AWS Firewall Manager is a security management service that enables you to centrally configure and manage firewall rules across accounts and resources. It does not directly provide web application firewall capabilities; it helps deploy WAF policies.
Quick Answer
The answer is AWS WAF. This service is the correct choice because it functions as a web application firewall that integrates directly with an Application Load Balancer to inspect incoming HTTP(S) requests, using both managed rule sets and custom rules to block SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS) at the application layer. On the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of which security service operates at Layer 7 versus network-layer protections like security groups or AWS Shield Advanced, which only defends against DDoS attacks and lacks the ability to filter specific web exploits. A common trap is confusing Shield Advanced with WAF, but remember: Shield stops floods, WAF filters the bad code. For your exam, keep this memory tip handy: WAF watches the web app, Shield stops the surge.
CLF-C02 Security and Compliance Practice Question
This CLF-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. 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. A key principle to apply: aWS WAF operates at Layer 7 (application layer) of the OSI model.. 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 hosts a web application on Amazon EC2 instances behind an Application Load Balancer (ALB). The security team wants to protect the application from common web exploits, including SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). The solution must integrate directly with the ALB and allow custom rules to be defined. Which AWS service should the company use?
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
AWS WAF
AWS WAF is a web application firewall that integrates directly with an Application Load Balancer to filter and monitor HTTP(S) requests. It provides managed rules to block common web exploits such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS), and allows you to define custom rules using conditions like IP addresses, HTTP headers, and URI strings. This makes it the correct choice for protecting the ALB-hosted application against these specific threats.
Key principle: AWS WAF operates at Layer 7 (application layer) of the OSI model.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
AWS WAF
Why this is correct
AWS WAF is a web application firewall that protects against common web exploits like SQL injection and XSS. It integrates directly with ALB and allows custom rules to be defined.
Related concept
AWS WAF operates at Layer 7 (application layer) of the OSI model.
- ✗
AWS Shield Advanced
Why it's wrong here
AWS Shield Advanced provides enhanced DDoS protection at the network and transport layers, but it does not inspect application-layer payloads for SQL injection or XSS.
- ✗
Security Groups
Why it's wrong here
Security Groups act as virtual firewalls for EC2 instances, controlling inbound and outbound traffic based on IP addresses, ports, and protocols. They do not perform application-layer inspection.
- ✗
AWS Firewall Manager
Why it's wrong here
AWS Firewall Manager is a security management service that enables you to centrally configure and manage firewall rules across accounts and resources. It does not directly provide web application firewall capabilities; it helps deploy WAF policies.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse AWS Shield Advanced (Layer 3/4 DDoS protection) with AWS WAF (Layer 7 web exploit filtering), or mistakenly think Security Groups can inspect application-layer traffic when they only filter at the network and transport layers.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS WAF operates at Layer 7 (application layer) of the OSI model, allowing it to inspect the body of HTTP requests for malicious patterns such as SQL commands or script tags. When integrated with an ALB, WAF rules are evaluated before the request reaches the backend EC2 instances, reducing unnecessary load. A real-world scenario is using rate-based rules to block IPs that generate a high volume of SQL injection attempts, which complements the static rule sets.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- AWS WAF operates at Layer 7 (application layer) of the OSI model.
- It protects against common web exploits like SQL injection and XSS.
- AWS WAF integrates directly with Application Load Balancers (ALB).
- Custom rules can be defined in AWS WAF to tailor protection.
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
AWS WAF operates at Layer 7 (application layer) of the OSI model.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review aWS WAF operates at Layer 7 (application layer) of the OSI model., then practise related CLF-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
- →
Security and Compliance — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Security and Compliance practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All CLF-C02 questions
1,024 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
CLF-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related CLF-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Cloud Concepts practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to Cloud Concepts.
Security and Compliance practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to Security and Compliance.
Cloud Technology and Services practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to Cloud Technology and Services.
Billing, Pricing, and Support practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to Billing, Pricing, and Support.
AWS shared responsibility model practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS shared responsibility model.
AWS IAM practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS IAM.
AWS pricing practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS pricing.
AWS support plans practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS support plans.
AWS S3 practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS S3.
AWS EC2 practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS EC2.
Practice this exam
Start a free CLF-C02 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CLF-C02 question test?
Security and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — AWS WAF operates at Layer 7 (application layer) of the OSI model..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS WAF — AWS WAF is a web application firewall that integrates directly with an Application Load Balancer to filter and monitor HTTP(S) requests. It provides managed rules to block common web exploits such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS), and allows you to define custom rules using conditions like IP addresses, HTTP headers, and URI strings. This makes it the correct choice for protecting the ALB-hosted application against these specific threats.
What should I do if I get this CLF-C02 question wrong?
Review aWS WAF operates at Layer 7 (application layer) of the OSI model., then practise related CLF-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
AWS WAF operates at Layer 7 (application layer) of the OSI model.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
3 more ways this is tested on CLF-C02
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company hosts a web application on Amazon EC2 instances behind an Application Load Balancer. The security team wants to protect the application from common web attacks such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS) at the edge, before the requests reach the application. The company wants to use pre-built rule sets maintained by AWS to quickly enable protection, and the solution should be fully managed with no servers to manage. Which AWS service should the company use?
medium- A.AWS Shield Advanced
- B.Amazon GuardDuty
- ✓ C.AWS WAF
- D.AWS Network Firewall
Why C: AWS WAF is a fully managed web application firewall that helps protect web applications from common web exploits like SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). It integrates with Application Load Balancers (ALBs) and allows you to use pre-built, AWS-managed rule sets (e.g., the AWS Managed Rules for SQL injection and XSS) to quickly enable protection at the edge, before traffic reaches the EC2 instances. This meets the requirement for a serverless, managed solution with no infrastructure to maintain.
Variation 2. A company hosts a critical e-commerce web application on Amazon EC2 instances behind an Application Load Balancer (ALB). The security team is concerned about Layer 7 attacks, such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). They also want to automatically block traffic from known malicious IP addresses. The company needs a managed web application firewall that integrates directly with the ALB. Which AWS service should the company use?
medium- ✓ A.AWS WAF
- B.AWS Shield Advanced
- C.Amazon GuardDuty
- D.AWS Firewall Manager
Why A: AWS WAF is a managed web application firewall that protects web applications from common Layer 7 attacks, such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS), by inspecting HTTP/HTTPS requests. It integrates directly with an Application Load Balancer (ALB) to allow you to create custom rules that block or allow traffic based on request patterns, including automatically blocking traffic from known malicious IP addresses using managed IP reputation lists.
Variation 3. A company hosts a web application on AWS that uses Amazon CloudFront for content delivery and an Application Load Balancer (ALB) in front of Amazon EC2 instances. The security team wants to protect the application against common web exploits such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). They need a managed service that can inspect incoming HTTP/HTTPS requests and block malicious traffic before it reaches the application servers. Which AWS service should the company use to meet these requirements?
medium- ✓ A.AWS WAF
- B.AWS Shield Advanced
- C.AWS Firewall Manager
- D.Amazon Inspector
Why A: AWS WAF is a managed web application firewall that helps protect web applications from common web exploits like SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). It integrates directly with Amazon CloudFront and Application Load Balancers (ALB) to inspect incoming HTTP/HTTPS requests and block malicious traffic before it reaches the application servers. This makes it the correct choice for the security team's requirement to filter and block specific attack patterns at the application layer.
Keep practising
More CLF-C02 practice questions
- A company publishes a message each time a new product is added to its catalogue. Three services need to receive this mes…
- A media company stores frequently accessed video thumbnails in Amazon S3. The thumbnails are read multiple times every d…
- A company needs a service to translate domain names (like www.example.com) into IP addresses, check the health of their…
- A startup runs an application on AWS and receives a monthly bill that charges exactly for the number of compute hours us…
- A financial institution runs its core banking application on-premises due to regulatory requirements. It has connected i…
- A company wants to run a MySQL database in AWS without managing database software installation, applying patches, settin…
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This CLF-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 CLF-C02 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.