- A
AWS WAF
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 CloudFront and allows custom rule creation.
- B
AWS Shield Advanced
Why wrong: Incorrect. AWS Shield Advanced provides enhanced DDoS protection at the network and transport layers, not application-layer request filtering for web exploits.
- C
AWS Firewall Manager
Why wrong: Incorrect. AWS Firewall Manager is a centralized management service that helps enforce firewall rules across accounts and resources, but it does not perform web application filtering itself. It can manage AWS WAF rules, but the service that actually inspects traffic is WAF.
- D
AWS Network Firewall
Why wrong: Incorrect. AWS Network Firewall provides stateful firewall and intrusion prevention for VPC network traffic, but it operates at the network layer (OSI layers 3-4) and does not inspect application-layer HTTP requests for SQL injection or XSS.
Quick Answer
The answer is AWS WAF. This managed web application firewall service is the correct choice because it directly integrates with an Application Load Balancer (ALB) and Amazon CloudFront, allowing you to create custom rules that inspect HTTP traffic for common web exploits like SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). By defining conditions based on IP addresses, HTTP headers, or request body patterns, AWS WAF can filter malicious requests before they reach your application. On the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of which AWS service provides layer 7 protection for web applications, often appearing as a scenario where you must choose between security-focused services like AWS Shield (for DDoS) or Security Groups (for network-level filtering). A common trap is confusing AWS WAF with AWS Shield, but remember: WAF filters application-layer attacks like SQLi and XSS, while Shield handles volumetric DDoS. For a quick memory tip, think “WAF = Web App Firewall” and associate the “F” with “Filter” for HTTP patterns.
CLF-C02 Cloud Technology and Services Practice Question
This CLF-C02 practice question tests your understanding of cloud technology and services. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. A key principle to apply: aWS WAF protects web applications from common web exploits.. 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 runs a web application behind an Application Load Balancer (ALB). The security team wants to protect the application from common web exploits such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). They need a managed service that allows them to create custom rules to filter malicious HTTP traffic and integrates directly with the ALB and Amazon CloudFront. Which AWS service should the security team configure?
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 managed web application firewall that protects against common web exploits like SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). It integrates directly with Application Load Balancers (ALB) and Amazon CloudFront, and allows you to create custom rules to filter malicious HTTP traffic based on conditions such as IP addresses, HTTP headers, and request body patterns.
Key principle: AWS WAF protects web applications from common web exploits.
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
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 CloudFront and allows custom rule creation.
Related concept
AWS WAF protects web applications from common web exploits.
- ✗
AWS Shield Advanced
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. AWS Shield Advanced provides enhanced DDoS protection at the network and transport layers, not application-layer request filtering for web exploits.
- ✗
AWS Firewall Manager
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. AWS Firewall Manager is a centralized management service that helps enforce firewall rules across accounts and resources, but it does not perform web application filtering itself. It can manage AWS WAF rules, but the service that actually inspects traffic is WAF.
- ✗
AWS Network Firewall
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse AWS WAF with AWS Shield Advanced, thinking both provide application-layer filtering, but Shield Advanced only provides DDoS mitigation and does not inspect HTTP payloads for SQL injection or XSS.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS WAF uses a rule engine that evaluates incoming HTTP(S) requests against conditions such as SQL injection match patterns, cross-site scripting match patterns, size constraints, and regex patterns. Rules are grouped into rule groups and associated with web ACLs, which are then attached to ALB or CloudFront distributions. A common real-world scenario is using rate-based rules to block IPs that exceed a threshold of requests, combined with managed rule groups from AWS or AWS Marketplace to automatically protect against OWASP Top 10 threats.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- AWS WAF protects web applications from common web exploits.
- WAF operates at the application layer (OSI Layer 7).
- It integrates directly with Application Load Balancers (ALB) and Amazon CloudFront.
- WAF allows custom rules to filter malicious HTTP/HTTPS traffic.
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 protects web applications from common web exploits.
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 protects web applications from common web exploits., then practise related CLF-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CLF-C02 question test?
Cloud Technology and Services — This question tests Cloud Technology and Services — AWS WAF protects web applications from common web exploits..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS WAF — AWS WAF is a managed web application firewall that protects against common web exploits like SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). It integrates directly with Application Load Balancers (ALB) and Amazon CloudFront, and allows you to create custom rules to filter malicious HTTP traffic based on conditions such as IP addresses, HTTP headers, and request body patterns.
What should I do if I get this CLF-C02 question wrong?
Review aWS WAF protects web applications from common web exploits., then practise related CLF-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
AWS WAF protects web applications from common web exploits.
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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.
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