Quick Answer
The answer is to configure the EMR cluster to use in-transit encryption. This is correct because enabling in-transit encryption on Amazon EMR applies TLS to encrypt all data moving between cluster nodes, such as during MapReduce shuffle operations or Spark data exchanges, ensuring that Kerberos-authenticated traffic remains confidential. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between encryption at rest (S3 SSE or EBS encryption) and encryption in transit, a common trap where candidates confuse network features like VPC peering with actual cryptographic protection. A key memory tip is to think of the "three E's" for EMR security: Encryption in transit (TLS), Encryption at rest (EBS/S3), and Exchange of tickets (Kerberos).
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data security and governance. 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.
A company is using Amazon EMR with Kerberos authentication. They want to ensure that data in transit between EMR cluster nodes is encrypted. Which configuration should be applied?
Use VPC peering to connect the cluster nodes.
Why wrong: VPC peering does not provide encryption.
Configure the EMR cluster to use in-transit encryption.
In-transit encryption uses TLS to protect data between nodes.
Enable S3 server-side encryption for the cluster's output data.
Why wrong: This encrypts data at rest, not in transit.
Enable EBS encryption on the cluster instances.
Why wrong: EBS encryption protects data at rest.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Configure the EMR cluster to use in-transit encryption.
Option D is correct because enabling in-transit encryption in Amazon EMR uses TLS to encrypt data between nodes. Option A is incorrect because S3 SSE encrypts data at rest. Option B is incorrect because EBS encryption encrypts data at rest. Option C is incorrect because VPC peering does not provide encryption; it is a network connectivity feature.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Use VPC peering to connect the cluster nodes.
Why it's wrong here
VPC peering does not provide encryption.
Configure the EMR cluster to use in-transit encryption.
Why this is correct
In-transit encryption uses TLS to protect data between nodes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Enable S3 server-side encryption for the cluster's output data.
Why it's wrong here
This encrypts data at rest, not in transit.
Enable EBS encryption on the cluster instances.
Why it's wrong here
EBS encryption protects data at rest.
Common exam traps
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.
Detailed technical explanation
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Data Security and Governance — This question tests Data Security and Governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Configure the EMR cluster to use in-transit encryption. — Option D is correct because enabling in-transit encryption in Amazon EMR uses TLS to encrypt data between nodes. Option A is incorrect because S3 SSE encrypts data at rest. Option B is incorrect because EBS encryption encrypts data at rest. Option C is incorrect because VPC peering does not provide encryption; it is a network connectivity feature.
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This DEA-C01 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 DEA-C01 exam.
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