- A
Patching the hypervisor that hosts the EC2 instances
Why wrong: Patching the hypervisor is an AWS responsibility under the Shared Responsibility Model, as the hypervisor is part of the virtualization infrastructure that AWS manages.
- B
Configuring security groups to control inbound traffic to the instances
Configuring security groups is the customer's responsibility. Security groups act as virtual firewalls for EC2 instances, and customers define the rules for allowed traffic, making this a task the customer must perform.
- C
Physical security of the data center where the instances run
Why wrong: Physical security of AWS data centers is an AWS responsibility. AWS implements multiple layers of physical controls, including guards, fencing, and access cards, which customers do not manage.
- D
Maintaining the underlying network infrastructure
Why wrong: Maintaining the underlying network infrastructure (routers, switches, and cabling) is an AWS responsibility. AWS ensures the availability and security of the network hardware that supports AWS services.
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 startup is migrating a web application to AWS. The application runs on Amazon EC2 instances that use a custom Amazon Machine Image (AMI) with the company's proprietary software. The security team needs to understand which security tasks the company must perform. Under the AWS Shared Responsibility Model, which of the following is the customer's responsibility?
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
Configuring security groups to control inbound traffic to the instances
Configuring security groups is a customer responsibility because security groups act as a virtual firewall for EC2 instances, controlling inbound and outbound traffic at the instance level. Under the AWS Shared Responsibility Model, the customer is responsible for configuring network access controls, while AWS manages the underlying infrastructure. This includes defining rules based on IP protocols, ports, and source/destination CIDR ranges.
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.
- ✗
Patching the hypervisor that hosts the EC2 instances
Why it's wrong here
Patching the hypervisor is an AWS responsibility under the Shared Responsibility Model, as the hypervisor is part of the virtualization infrastructure that AWS manages.
- ✓
Configuring security groups to control inbound traffic to the instances
Why this is correct
Configuring security groups is the customer's responsibility. Security groups act as virtual firewalls for EC2 instances, and customers define the rules for allowed traffic, making this a task the customer must perform.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Physical security of the data center where the instances run
Why it's wrong here
Physical security of AWS data centers is an AWS responsibility. AWS implements multiple layers of physical controls, including guards, fencing, and access cards, which customers do not manage.
- ✗
Maintaining the underlying network infrastructure
Why it's wrong here
Maintaining the underlying network infrastructure (routers, switches, and cabling) is an AWS responsibility. AWS ensures the availability and security of the network hardware that supports AWS services.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'patching the hypervisor' (AWS responsibility) with 'patching the guest OS' (customer responsibility), leading them to incorrectly select Option A as a customer task.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Security groups are stateful, meaning that if you allow inbound traffic on a port, the outbound return traffic is automatically allowed, regardless of outbound rules. This differs from network ACLs, which are stateless and require explicit rules for both directions. In a real-world scenario, a misconfigured security group could inadvertently expose an application to the internet, making it critical for customers to regularly audit rules using tools like AWS Config or VPC Flow Logs.
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.
- →
Cloud Concepts — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Cloud Concepts 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?
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: Configuring security groups to control inbound traffic to the instances — Configuring security groups is a customer responsibility because security groups act as a virtual firewall for EC2 instances, controlling inbound and outbound traffic at the instance level. Under the AWS Shared Responsibility Model, the customer is responsible for configuring network access controls, while AWS manages the underlying infrastructure. This includes defining rules based on IP protocols, ports, and source/destination CIDR ranges.
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.