Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A company runs a web application on Amazon EC2 instances behind an Application Load Balancer (ALB). The company uses a custom domain name and requires HTTPS for all traffic. The security team provisions an SSL/TLS certificate using AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) and associates it with the ALB. Which of the following is an advantage of using ACM over manually managing certificates?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Best answer
ACM automatically renews the certificate before it expires, and the renewed certificate is automatically applied to the associated load balancer.
Correct. When DNS validation is configured, ACM automatically renews certificates before expiration and applies the renewed certificate to the associated AWS resources such as an ALB, eliminating the need for manual renewal and reducing the risk of certificate expiration.
B
Distractor review
ACM encrypts the traffic between the ALB and the EC2 instances, ensuring end-to-end encryption.
Incorrect. ACM provisions certificates for the ALB to terminate HTTPS connections from clients. Encryption between the ALB and backend instances is configured separately via the ALB listener and target group settings (e.g., using HTTPS or TCP with TLS). ACM does not manage backend encryption.
C
Distractor review
ACM provides a certificate that can be exported and installed on any on-premises server for free.
Incorrect. ACM certificates cannot be exported for general use outside of AWS. They are intended for use only with integrated AWS services (e.g., ALB, CloudFront, API Gateway). Exporting is not supported, so they cannot be installed on on-premises servers.
D
Distractor review
ACM requires the company to store the private key in a secure location outside of AWS.
Incorrect. ACM manages the private key securely within AWS and does not expose it to customers. Customers do not have to generate, store, or rotate private keys; ACM handles key management as part of the service.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A developer needs to launch a test server for a new application prototype. The developer logs into the AWS Management Console, selects an Amazon EC2 instance type, configures the security group, and starts the instance. The instance is running within two minutes, and the developer did not need to submit a formal request to the company's IT procurement team or wait for approval from a cloud administrator. Which essential characteristic of cloud computing does this scenario best demonstrate?
Question 2
A solutions architect is planning a new web application on AWS. The workload will include 3 Amazon EC2 instances (t3.medium) running 24/7, an Application Load Balancer, and an Amazon RDS for MySQL db.t3.small database. The architect needs to estimate the monthly cost for the first year, considering different purchasing options (On-Demand, 1-year All Upfront Reserved Instance, and Compute Savings Plan). Which AWS tool should the architect use to create this estimate?
Question 3
A company's development team frequently needs temporary test environments. A developer can log into the AWS Management Console, select an Amazon EC2 instance type, configure storage, and launch the instance within minutes without any interaction with the IT infrastructure team. This capability is an example of which essential characteristic of cloud computing?
Question 4
A company's finance team needs to analyze AWS spending in detail. They require a report that includes hourly cost data for each AWS service, each individual resource (e.g., a specific EC2 instance), and any cost allocation tags applied. The team plans to export this data to an Amazon S3 bucket and then import it into a custom business intelligence (BI) analytics dashboard. Which AWS tool should the finance team use to generate this level of detailed cost data?
Question 5
A company uses AWS for its development environment. The finance team wants to set a monthly budget of $10,000. They want to receive an email notification when the actual costs reach 80% of the budget ($8,000) and again when costs exceed the budget. The team needs a managed AWS service that can automatically send these alerts without requiring custom code or third-party tools. Which AWS service should the team use?
Question 6
A company uses AWS Organizations to manage multiple accounts. The security team needs to enforce a policy that restricts SSH access (port 22) from the internet (0.0.0.0/0) in all VPCs across all accounts. The team wants to centrally define the allowed rules and automatically apply them to newly created VPCs and security groups, while also automatically remediating any existing non-compliant security groups. Which AWS service should the team use?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CLF-C02 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: ACM automatically renews the certificate before it expires, and the renewed certificate is automatically applied to the associated load balancer. — AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) simplifies the provisioning, management, and deployment of SSL/TLS certificates for use with AWS services. One key advantage is automatic certificate renewal: when DNS validation is used, ACM automatically renews certificates before expiration and updates the associated AWS resources (e.g., ALB, CloudFront) with the new certificate, reducing administrative overhead and preventing expiration-related outages. ACM also manages the private key securely within AWS, meaning customers do not need to generate, store, or rotate keys. However, ACM certificates cannot be exported for use outside of AWS (except for specific integrations like CloudFront with a separate process), and ACM does not manage encryption between the ALB and backend instances — that is handled by the listener configuration and target group settings.
What should I do if I get this CLF-C02 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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