- A
AWS is HIPAA certified, meaning all AWS services automatically comply with HIPAA
Why wrong: HIPAA is a legal framework without a formal certification — AWS is HIPAA-eligible for specific services. Not all services are HIPAA-eligible and customers must configure appropriate controls.
- B
AWS will sign a BAA for eligible services, and customers are responsible for configuring services to meet HIPAA requirements
AWS signs BAAs for HIPAA-eligible services. The Shared Responsibility Model applies — AWS secures the infrastructure, customers must configure encryption, access controls, and audit logging per HIPAA requirements.
- C
PHI cannot be stored in the cloud because cloud environments are inherently non-compliant with HIPAA
Why wrong: PHI can legally be stored and processed in AWS cloud environments using HIPAA-eligible services with a signed BAA and appropriate security configurations.
- D
HIPAA compliance is automatic once a BAA is signed with AWS
Why wrong: Signing a BAA is necessary but not sufficient for HIPAA compliance — customers must also implement appropriate technical safeguards (encryption, access controls, audit logging) within their environment.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is that AWS will sign a BAA for eligible services, and customers are responsible for configuring those services to meet HIPAA requirements. This is accurate because HIPAA compliance on AWS follows the shared responsibility model: AWS secures the underlying cloud infrastructure and provides a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) for specific services listed in its HIPAA Eligible Services Reference, but the customer must configure encryption, access controls, and logging within those services to protect Protected Health Information (PHI). On the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam, this concept tests your understanding that AWS does not offer blanket HIPAA certification—only a contractual BAA for eligible services. A common trap is assuming AWS automatically makes your workload HIPAA-compliant; instead, remember that the BAA is just the starting point. Memory tip: BAA stands for “Bare Agreement, Activate yourself”—AWS provides the paper, you provide the configuration.
CLF-C02 Security and Compliance Practice Question
This CLF-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. 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. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. 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.
An organization needs to sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with AWS to run applications that process Protected Health Information (PHI) under HIPAA. Which statement about AWS and HIPAA is accurate?
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 will sign a BAA for eligible services, and customers are responsible for configuring services to meet HIPAA requirements
AWS does not have a blanket HIPAA certification; instead, it provides a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) for specific services listed in its HIPAA Eligible Services Reference. Customers must sign a BAA with AWS and then configure those eligible services (e.g., enabling encryption, access controls, logging) to meet their own HIPAA compliance obligations. This shared responsibility model means AWS is responsible for the security of the cloud, while the customer is responsible for security in the cloud.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 is HIPAA certified, meaning all AWS services automatically comply with HIPAA
Why it's wrong here
HIPAA is a legal framework without a formal certification — AWS is HIPAA-eligible for specific services. Not all services are HIPAA-eligible and customers must configure appropriate controls.
- ✓
AWS will sign a BAA for eligible services, and customers are responsible for configuring services to meet HIPAA requirements
Why this is correct
AWS signs BAAs for HIPAA-eligible services. The Shared Responsibility Model applies — AWS secures the infrastructure, customers must configure encryption, access controls, and audit logging per HIPAA requirements.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
PHI cannot be stored in the cloud because cloud environments are inherently non-compliant with HIPAA
Why it's wrong here
PHI can legally be stored and processed in AWS cloud environments using HIPAA-eligible services with a signed BAA and appropriate security configurations.
- ✗
HIPAA compliance is automatic once a BAA is signed with AWS
Why it's wrong here
Signing a BAA is necessary but not sufficient for HIPAA compliance — customers must also implement appropriate technical safeguards (encryption, access controls, audit logging) within their environment.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume signing a BAA automatically makes the entire AWS environment HIPAA-compliant, ignoring the shared responsibility model and the need to configure services correctly.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under HIPAA, a BAA is a contract that establishes AWS as a business associate, but the customer retains responsibility for the use and disclosure of PHI. For example, if a customer stores PHI in Amazon S3, they must enable server-side encryption (SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS), configure bucket policies to restrict access, and enable CloudTrail logging to meet the HIPAA Security Rule. AWS provides a HIPAA Eligible Services Reference that lists services like S3, EC2, and RDS, but services like Amazon Route 53 or AWS WAF are not eligible for a BAA.
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.
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
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
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 — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS will sign a BAA for eligible services, and customers are responsible for configuring services to meet HIPAA requirements — AWS does not have a blanket HIPAA certification; instead, it provides a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) for specific services listed in its HIPAA Eligible Services Reference. Customers must sign a BAA with AWS and then configure those eligible services (e.g., enabling encryption, access controls, logging) to meet their own HIPAA compliance obligations. This shared responsibility model means AWS is responsible for the security of the cloud, while the customer is responsible for security in the cloud.
What should I do if I get this CLF-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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 →
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.