- A
AWS is responsible for both the operating system patches and the MySQL database updates.
Why wrong: This is incorrect. AWS is only responsible for the underlying infrastructure (hypervisor, physical host, network). The customer manages the guest OS and any software installed on EC2.
- B
The company is responsible for both the operating system patches and the MySQL database updates.
This is correct. Since the company controls the EC2 instance's guest OS and the MySQL database, it is responsible for all patching and updates of that software.
- C
AWS is responsible for the operating system patches, and the company is responsible for the MySQL database updates.
Why wrong: This is incorrect. AWS does not manage or patch the guest operating system on an EC2 instance. That responsibility falls entirely on the customer.
- D
The company is responsible for the operating system patches, and AWS is responsible for the MySQL database updates.
Why wrong: This is incorrect. AWS does not manage or update customer-installed databases. The company retains full responsibility for any software it installs on EC2.
CLF-C02 Cloud Concepts Practice Question
This CLF-C02 practice question tests your understanding of cloud concepts. 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. 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.
A company is migrating a three-tier web application to AWS. The application will run on Amazon EC2 instances using a custom Linux distribution, and a self-managed MySQL database will be installed on the same instances. The company's security team needs to understand which security responsibilities belong to AWS and which belong to the company under the AWS Shared Responsibility Model. According to this model, who is responsible for applying operating system security patches to the EC2 instances and for updating the MySQL database software?
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
The company is responsible for both the operating system patches and the MySQL database updates.
Under the AWS Shared Responsibility Model, AWS is responsible for the security of the cloud (e.g., physical infrastructure, hypervisor), while the customer is responsible for security in the cloud (e.g., guest OS, applications, and data). Since the company is using a custom Linux distribution on EC2 instances and installing a self-managed MySQL database, both the operating system patches and the MySQL database updates fall under the customer's responsibility. AWS does not manage or patch the guest operating system or any software installed by the customer on EC2 instances.
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 responsible for both the operating system patches and the MySQL database updates.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect. AWS is only responsible for the underlying infrastructure (hypervisor, physical host, network). The customer manages the guest OS and any software installed on EC2.
- ✓
The company is responsible for both the operating system patches and the MySQL database updates.
Why this is correct
This is correct. Since the company controls the EC2 instance's guest OS and the MySQL database, it is responsible for all patching and updates of that software.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
AWS is responsible for the operating system patches, and the company is responsible for the MySQL database updates.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect. AWS does not manage or patch the guest operating system on an EC2 instance. That responsibility falls entirely on the customer.
- ✗
The company is responsible for the operating system patches, and AWS is responsible for the MySQL database updates.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect. AWS does not manage or update customer-installed databases. The company retains full responsibility for any software it installs on EC2.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse self-managed software on EC2 with AWS-managed services (like RDS) and incorrectly assume AWS handles patching for any database or OS running on EC2.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Shared Responsibility Model delineates that AWS manages the 'security of the cloud' including physical hosts, virtualization layer, and network infrastructure, while the customer manages 'security in the cloud' including EC2 guest OS, applications, and data. For EC2 instances, the customer has full administrative access to the guest OS and must apply patches using tools like yum, apt, or custom scripts. Self-managed MySQL on the same instance means the customer is responsible for all database maintenance, including applying security patches and version upgrades, as AWS only manages managed services like RDS.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CLF-C02 question test?
Cloud Concepts — This question tests Cloud Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The company is responsible for both the operating system patches and the MySQL database updates. — Under the AWS Shared Responsibility Model, AWS is responsible for the security of the cloud (e.g., physical infrastructure, hypervisor), while the customer is responsible for security in the cloud (e.g., guest OS, applications, and data). Since the company is using a custom Linux distribution on EC2 instances and installing a self-managed MySQL database, both the operating system patches and the MySQL database updates fall under the customer's responsibility. AWS does not manage or patch the guest operating system or any software installed by the customer on EC2 instances.
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.
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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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